To Trim or Not To Trim

Trimming your hair should be apart of your hair regimen if it is not already.

The benefits of trimming include fuller, healthier ends, less breakage, and length retention. At the beginning of my natural hair journey, I was desperate to save my damaged hair, and I refused to go anywhere near scissors.

I was convinced that if I held on – no matter how scraggly and weak my ends were – that maybe my hair would grow. It wasn’t until one of my friends heard me complaining about my hair that I was advised to cut ties with my damages ends.

If you are anything like me then maybe this is your less favorite part about your hair journey but the most necessary.

Maybe you flat ironed your hair with temperatures that were too high. Or you applied an at-home hair color that left your hair in sad shape.

You may also experience ends that tangle incredibly easy, making it difficult to comb all the way through. If you look at them closely, you may see small knots. Knots can be the result of extreme dryness, due to a lack of regular deep conditioning.

Cutting your hair might be the next step but, you are too attached.

Stop putting off the necessary. Scheduling a trim about every eight weeks to maintain its health and get rid of damaged hair will help preserve the shape of your style. Hair grows about 1/4 to 1/2 inch a month.

Below is a list of reasons you should be trimming your hair often. It’s time to let the dead hair go, sis!

Reasons To Trim Your Hair

Split Ends

If you’ve got that frazzled look going on at the ends of your hair, it’s time to bring out the scissors and start snipping.

Don’t worry about losing an inch or two after a quick snip. Breakage is what makes your hair look shorter and thinner, so a little trim will be beneficial to your journey in the long run. Scheduling a trim about every eight weeks to maintain its health and get rid of damaged hair will help preserve the shape of your style.

If you notice many splits ends soon after, then you probably did not trim enough. If you trimmed enough, your hair should not split as much as before. Hair grows about 1/4 to 1/2 inch a month.

If you don’t get a trim, the split ends will start to diminish off, and your hair will look thinner. Nothing worst then having luscious locks up top and frazzled tips at the end. In the words of O.T. Genasis, you need to cut it!

A Change

Your hair doesn’t have to be heat damaged, color damaged, thinning, or have excessive split ends for you to cut it.

Maybe it’s just time for a change. Switching up your look is always fun. I’ve revived several wigs and bundles by just merely cutting it and turning them into bobs. You can never go wrong with switching up your look.

Color Damage

Chemically processed hair should be every four to six weeks to stay healthy.

When new growth comes in, you should take half an inch off. I can’t even count how many times my friends have colored their natural hair and either damaged their hair by not correctly following the directions or because they weren’t taking care of their freshly chemicalize hair.

Heat Damage

Most likely, you have heat damage, and unfortunately, it’s an irreversible condition.

Pout and whine for a few minutes and then get right to trimming! Holding onto heat damaged ends makes it difficult for styles to flourish. If you’re packing on moisturizing products and the tips of your hair, remain frizzy, dry, and brittle this is a clear sign that its time to part ways.

As I stated earlier, I was attached to my damaged ends even though it wasn’t entirely reaching its full potential. I was scared that if I cut my hair, I would be moving backward instead of forward. But trust me you won’t regret it once you begin to snip those ends.

Treat your hair extensions like your natural hair. You wash it and style it, but for some reason, you refuse to remove the damaged part of it. If your hair extensions are an investment and apart from you the best thing to do is to retreat it with care.

Growth

Having healthy hair is not an overnight success; it takes time and can be a long, vigorous process.

There are plenty of ways to stimulate hair growth and trimming your hair has been said to be one of them. Cutting your ends can give room for your healthy strands to flourish. When you have split ends and didn’t take care of them, the split travels up the hair shaft and stunts hair growth.

Now that will send your hair journey back to the beginning. All that hard work and energy would be a waste all because you were scared to trim your hair. One wants to accept when it’s time to cut the hair you’ve cared, nurtured, loved, and watched grow.

But every now and again, it’s time for dead ends to leave the nest to make room for healthy hair to flourish. Trust me; you are better off removing all that dead weight out of your beautiful mane than retaining length with struggling strands.

Time To Let Go

Imagine the ends of your hair are toxic friendships and unnecessary drama, do you want that in your life?

All that nonsense stopping you from living your best life. I didn’t think so! Thank you for reading this article, and I hope it gave you plenty of knowledge and courage to cut off that damaged hair. If you've experienced the struggle of letting go of your stringy ends, we want to hear from you in the comment section below!

Maintaining healthy hair is vital to hair growth. Taking care of your hair once in a while is great but maintaining healthy hair is even better.

From what to do to what to avoid we've got you covered. Here are 15 tips for maintaining healthy hair.

1. Wash Your Hair with the Right Shampoo

We all know that shampooing your hair is important but what is even more important is using the right shampoo. Don't settle for any old mundane shampoo use one for your specific hair and scalp needs.

There are various shampoos available for different hair and scalp conditions. Whether it is dandruff, itch, dry scalp there is a shampoo for you and the same goes for your hair type. Curlier hair textures tend to need more moisture while straighter hair textures tend to get oily. There are even shampoos that will help you balance the pH levels of your hair.

Here are some shampoos that get down to the root of specific hair needs:

• Dandruff- Head & Shoulders
• Dry/ Itchy Scalp- Dove Dermacare
• Oily Hair- Neutrogena Anti-residue shampoo
• Lack of Moisture- Suave Honey Infusion Strengthening Shampoo

2. Deep Condition

It is just as important to condition your hair as it is to shampoo. The two go hand in hand. Shampoos clean while conditioners make your hair feel smooth again.

The combination is similar to when you take a shower. When you take a shower you wash with soap then afterward you rub lotion on your skin. Shampoo and conditioner are like soap and lotion duo for hair. The shampoo is the soap and conditioner is the lotion; the two work seamlessly together.

Co-Washing

Co-washing is short for conditioner only washing. Basically, co-washing is when you use conditioner in place of shampoo. Women with natural hair co-wash their hair as a way to promote moisture.

Make Your Conditioner

The thing I love about the conditioner is that you can make your own out of the convenience of your own home. Many natural ingredients have moisturizing capabilities that work very well on hair. Everyday foods we eat like mayonnaise, eggs, honey, olive oil have nutrients and vitamins that help with healthy hair.

Even onions work! We recommend trying a deep onion conditioner that you can make at home.

3. Moisturize

Moisturizing both your hair and your scalp is very important. Like our skin, our scalp produces natural moisture yet additional moisture is still needed. There are many moisturizers out there but try to stay away from anything with petroleum or mineral oil (I’ll explain that more in tip #12).

Aside from manufactured moisturizers, there are natural oils that you can use to moisturize your hair. This leads me to the next tip for maintaining healthy hair, use natural oils!

4. Use Natural Oils

Did you know that you can use natural oils on your hair? They can be used for moisture and even mixed in with your conditioner or water to help nourish your hair and scalp.

Many natural oils are multipurpose. Natural oils can be used in your food, on your skin, and in your hair!

Here is a list of natural oils you can use for your hair and their benefits:

• Jojoba Oil helps to strengthen your hair by acting as a moisturizer.
• Castor Oil is well known for promoting hair growth. If your edges are struggling or you have hair loss, I highly recommend that you massage castor oil into that area twice daily. Do this regimen consistently over time, and you will most likely see results. Castor oil also has anti-fungal properties that help treat scalp infections.
• Black Seed Oil is anti-inflammatory. It helps with scalp conditions caused by inflammation and also helps with sensitivity and flakiness.
• Flaxseed Oil is loaded with omega-3 fatty acids that help with both healthier skin and hair.
• Carrot Oil helps stimulate new cell growth, and it is rich in Vitamin A & E which are both great for your hair. It also helps moisturize your scalp.
• Vitamin E Oil is an antioxidant helping build and repair tissue. It also has anti-inflammatory properties that help repair damaged follicles encouraging hair growth.

5. Regular Trim

You don’t necessarily need a big chop to keep your hair healthy, but a nice trim every once in a while won’t hurt. A regular trim is necessary to make sure your hair is healthy and vibrant.

It is recommended that you get a trim every three months. A trim helps reduce split ends that cause further hair damage.

6. Avoid Excessive Heat

Avoid using hot tools such as curling irons, flat irons, etc. on your hair frequently. Excessive heat can damage your hair.

Give your hair a break every once in a while. Try some protective styles from tip #8 or wear a wig. These are some great ways to give your hair a break while still being able to slay. Nonetheless when you do use heat make sure to always follow our next tip!

7. Use Heat Protectant

When applying any heat to your hair heat protectant is a must! When applying heat to your hair heat protectant helps protect your hair from the damage caused by heat styling. It helps with up to 50% heat protection at most.

If you want to stay away from heat entirely while stimulating hair growth to try our next tip.

8. Protective Styles

Protective styles do precisely what they say, they protect. They save your hair from unnecessary pulling and manipulation and allow time for hair growth.

They are very popular in the natural hair world. Styles such as braids, twists, wigs that cover your hair are considered protective styles.

9. Color Your Hair Correctly

Coloring your hair correctly is very critical to maintaining healthy hair. Coloring your hair incorrectly is one of the easiest ways to damage your hair.

Now don’t get me wrong there is nothing wrong with hair color when it is being applied to healthy hair correctly. Make sure your hair is in an excellent condition to be colored and make sure whoever is coloring your hair has experience.

Here are some tips you can take to prevent damage when coloring your hair:

• Use clarifying shampoo before coloring your hair
• Wait at least two days before shampooing your hair
• Use color-protecting shampoos
• Condition every time you shampoo colored hair
• Use only quality conditioning hair colors

10. Use the Right Comb or Brush at the Right Time

Just like shampoo many of us don’t get specific when it comes to our hairbrushes and combs yet it is crucial that we do. There are different types of brushes and combs for different things.

I remember when I first started wearing wigs I would use a regular brush and wondered why I wasn’t getting the results that I wanted. I later found out there is a wig brush; a brush made especially for wigs. Using this brush helped me achieve the results I wanted.

Different brush and comb tools are made with different bristles that have different effects on our hair. Boar bristles distribute oils and create a soft texture that looks brushed out. Nylon bristles comb through hair with ease.

After shampooing your hair don’t use a skin comb to comb through your wet hair. Instead of a skinny comb use a wide-tooth comb this will help you detangle your hair smoothly. Being mindful of the combs and brushes you use on your hair can help reduce shedding. The way you comb and brush your hair is also significant.

Avoid using harsh and hard hand gestures that can be hard on your hair and cause damage or hair loss. Take time while brushing or combing your hair and be gentle.

11. Avoid These Substances

There are many things you can do to maintain healthy hair, but there are things to avoid. Avoid using alcohol like mineral oil and petroleum and here is why:

Isopropyl Alcohol is designed to dissolve oil. This causes excessive drying when applied to your hair and strips hair of moisture. It can be food in many hair products such as hairspray, gel, volumizers, and root lifters yet at the risk of healthy hair.

Mineral Oil can clog pores. Instead, use coconut oil which can penetrate deeper into your hair and scalp. Petroleum creates the illusion of moisture yet like mineral oil it clogs pores. Petroleum can be found in petroleum jelly better known as Vaseline.

Avoiding the use of these substances can help save your hair from unnecessary and unwanted damage. Although many know these products are a no-no some hair products may still contain these substances. Use caution by always reading the ingredients on your hair labels to make sure that these ingredients are not hiding in your products.

12. Use A Hair Mask

Just like how to do a face mask every once in awhile a hair mask can be used for your hair. A hair mask serves as a deep treatment for your hair. They help with deep conditioning and recover your hair from things like heat, weather, and dryness. Hair masks also can help restore shine and invigorate your scalp with nutrients.

They can be found at your local beauty supply store and done from the convenience of your own home. Many salons also offer hair masks, and deep hair treatments so ask your hairstylist on your next visit.

One great thing about hair masks is that you can do it yourself! Here are some different hair masks you can make with products from your home:

• Avocado Hair Mask- takes your hair's shine to the next level!
• Egg Yolk and Olive Oil Hair Mask- moisturizes and deep conditions your hair.
• Strawberry Hair Mask- gives your hair a healthy boost of Vitamin C.
• Olive Oil, Honey, and Banana Smoothie Hair Mask- helps your hair with split ends.

13. Wrap your Hair

• Covering your hair will prevent tangling which can lead to shedding and breakage.
• Breakouts and blemishes can be caused when your hair is on your face while you sleep. Covering your hair will prevent the oils from your hair from getting on your face.
• This is one of the best ways to keep your hairstyle in place! The rustle and toil of sleep without a head wrap can have your hair all over the place. Covering your hair will keep your style intact requiring little to almost no manipulation when you wake up.
• If you are doing an overnight hair treatment, then you definitely want to cover your hair. Covering your hair will not only help stimulate the treatment but also help seal the treatment into your hair follicles and scalp.

There are many different types of head wraps from bonnets, silk caps, scarves, etc. that you can use to cover your hair while you sleep. Various head wrap cloths can be purchased at your local beauty supply store, fabric store, and even retail stores.

Silk-based wraps are highly recommended because they help retain moisture. Which leads to our next tip!

14. Silk Pillow Case

It may be time to go to bed, but that doesn’t mean that your hair care should stop here. Sleeping on a silk pillowcase is a great investment for your hair.

Silk pillowcases are hypoallergenic, so they are naturally resistant to mold, fungus, and dust mites. The natural properties of silk, such as its smooth surface, help reduce friction which can cause damage to your hair.

15. Research is Key!

Last but not least always remember that research is key! Learning more about your specific hair type and how to take care of it can help you create a hair regimen that is just for you. Search online, attend hair workshops, or even ask your stylist about different hair tips.

Reading the Private Label Extensions blog is a great way to build your hair knowledge. You can learn everything from how to maintain a healthy scalp to how to grow long hair. We have created our blog as a resource for all your hair needs.

Whether your hair is short or long healthy hair is a must for all. By following these tips, you will ensure that your locks and tresses are healthy. Healthy hair allows you to do more with your hair and rock more styles, but most importantly it gives you confidence!

Let us know some of your tips for maintaining hair by leaving a comment.