- To get rid of your split ends, you should trim 1cm or 1.5cm at the most.
- However, to know exactly how much to trim to get rid of split ends, you need to assess your hair type.
- As I’ll show you in this article, it’s not the same to trim five centimeters off the ends on straight hair as it’s on curly hair. Nor is fine hair the same as thick hair.
- Also, when we talk about trimming the split ends of your hair, we have to consider many factors: type of cut, damage, porosity, quantity, texture, etc.
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How much hair is necessary to trim to get rid of split ends has no single answer. You should discuss it with your trusted stylist.
However, my advice is to never trim more than a centimeter or a centimeter and a half above the split ends.
That way, you’ll remove all the damaged hair and leave the new ends restored.
If you want to know how much to trim the split ends according to your hair type, read this article.
First, I’ll give you some tips on how to trim split ends the best way.
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Follow these tips to trim split ends
- To trim the split ends of your hair, I advise you to always use soft-edged scissors. They best seal the ends to delay the appearance of new split ends.
- NEVER use a razor because it’s not the most suitable tool to trim the damaged ends of your hair.
- The most avant-garde stylists cut split ends with fire but leave that in their hands. That’s what they are trained to do and never try it yourself.
- Then, once you trimmed your ends, keep your hair moisturized and nourished to prevent hair splitting again. At least, they’ll take much longer to get damaged.
- Avoid anything that damages your hair and its ends: excessive heat, blow dryers, and flat irons, aggressive bleaching, or careless styling are some of the reasons for split ends.
Alternatives for trimming damaged ends according to hair type
1) Trimming split ends on short hair
How many centimeters should you trim if you have split ends on your short hair?
It's very unlikely that short hair will have split ends. However, if it's very bleached, it could have this problem.
Therefore, we’ll have to evaluate how far to trim those damaged ends.
If you're a short hair type, I'm sure you don’t like complications. I imagine that trimming two or three centimeters off your hair isn't going to be so terrible for you.
By wearing your hair short, you're already used to looking that way. If you're wearing a pixie cut, you won't feel bad about losing a couple of inches if the benefit is to restore your hair health.
2) Trimming split ends into a bob cut
This is where some conflicts begin. If you have a bob cut and you trim an extra centimeter, a medium bob becomes a short bob.
You have to be accurate when it comes to trimming the ends of this type of cut.
My advice is to evaluate the costs and benefits of cutting split ends.
Is it better to heal your hair?
Alternatively, is it preferable to progressively remove the split ends to preserve the length even if we don't completely remove the damage?
If you opt for the latter alternative, you should know that although the appearance will improve a little, your hair health will remain affected. So, it’ll continue to tangle when you comb it and will continue to have a finer texture towards the ends.
It’ll take longer, but you won't lose length. It’ll be a decision to be made between you and your trusted stylist.
3) Cutting split ends on long hair
In this case, you should take into account your own hair characteristics:
- If your hair is long and fine, the split ends will keep going up faster. So, I advise you to trim at least one to two centimeters above the split ends. That will safely stop the damage of your split ends.
- If your hair is long and thick, it will be more resistant. So, trimming the ends will be enough to restore its health. After that, maintaining it every two months will be enough to prevent split ends.
- If you have long, layered hair, your case is the most complicated, as there are two very different possibilities.
1) If your ends are only split at the longest layer, it's just a matter of trimming those ends. The only thing that will change is that the longest layer will be unified with the next layer.
2) On the other hand, if the problem of split ends is in all the layers due to bleached hair or hair that has been damaged by excessive blow-drying and flat ironing, for example, you’ll wonder how much to trim. This is where the biggest conflict arises:
You can cut off all the ends of your hair, which will result in well-defined but shorter layers.
Alternatively, you can take out only the ends of the longer layers and leave the most damaged ends of the upper layers for another occasion. That way, you’ll disguise their damage with silicones, for example. Doing this will be a half-hearted solution. It’ll still cause an unwanted body by removing shine and vigor from your hair, but you’ll preserve the length.
4) Trimming split ends on straight hair
Straight hair is the most complicated hair type because any mistake will be visible. You’ll have to go up the cut to erase it, which will cause cutting more than necessary.
- If you have this hair format, I advise you to trim the ends in a gradient.
- In case you want a straight cut, I advise you to do it with a razor machine to ensure the most accurate neatness.
5) Cutting split ends on wavy hair
In the case of wavy hair, you should always take into account the body of the wave so trimming the ends doesn’t create an uneven cut.
- I suggest you never cut your ends more than necessary. This hair type will have a tendency to change.
- For example, if your idea is to cut your ends two inches, you’d better cut four. When it dried, it’ll revert back to its natural movement and it’ll look uneven.
- Also, as with straight hair, I advise you to cut the ends in a gradient. In this case, it’ll intertwine when it dries, and you’ll get the length you intended.
6) Trimming the ends on curly hair
Curly hair’s split ends can be the easiest to trim, but they can also be the ones you're most afraid to cut.
- Remember that to trim the split ends of your curly hair, it must be wet, and you must comb it to stretch it.
- If you trim the split ends two centimeters, it will shrink twice as much. This is something to keep in mind so you don’t get a surprise when your curls dry.
To know how much to trim your split ends, you must consider your hair type
Throughout this article, I've told you tips on how to trim your ends in the best way. I've told you how much you should trim your ends according to your hair type.
So, while trimming your ends is necessary, it's even more important to know how much to trim for each hair type.
As I always tell you, the best is to make an appointment at your usual salon and agree with your stylist so you don't lose unnecessary length and your hair always looks beautiful. Go for it!
