"Every 6-8 weeks" is the answer you'll hear most often, and for a lot of people it's a reasonable default. But it's a generalisation, not a rule — the right interval depends on what your hair is doing and what you're asking it to do.
If you're growing your hair out
You still need trims. Split ends don't stay at the tip — left alone, the split travels up the hair shaft, and eventually you lose more length to breakage than you would have to a trim. A light dust every 10-12 weeks keeps the ends healthy without undoing your length goals.
If you're maintaining a short or structured cut
Anything with a defined shape — a bob, a fringe, a men's fade — grows out of its lines fast. These need the tightest schedule, typically every 4-6 weeks, or the cut stops doing what it was designed to do.
If your hair is colour-treated or chemically treated
Colour-treated and keratin-treated hair is more porous and prone to breakage at the ends. Pairing your colour appointments with a trim (even a small one) protects the investment you've already made in the colour.
If you're not sure
Look at the ends, not the calendar. Dry, straw-like, or visibly split ends are the signal, regardless of how many weeks it's been. A quick look under natural light will tell you more than a countdown ever will.
What we look at when you come in
At Velvet Touch, a Haircut starts with a conversation about what your hair's actually doing day to day — not just what shape you want, but how much heat styling, how you tie it up, water hardness, all of it. That's what decides whether you need a light dust or a proper reshape.
If it's been a while and you're not sure where you're at, book a haircut and we'll tell you honestly what your hair needs — not what keeps you coming back on a schedule that doesn't suit you.