Better to trim or just keep growing?

[peachyleshy]

I want to know what everyone specifically believes is best for growing long hair.
Have those with hair past waist found that it helps to trim regularly?
Or do you just let it grow and trim at infrequent times when needed?
I've read that it is the opinion of some long hairs (here and some articles online) that you should trim your hair regularly and make sure all the damage is gone.
I feel like I would never get anywhere if I did that though. Earlier this year I trimmed a few inches off so I feel like I didn't make very much progress this year.
But is that the way to go? Will that help in the long run?
I feel like I barely have patience to grow as it is. I don't think I have the patience for regular trims.

[AZDesertRose]

It depends on your hair.

Right now, I'm maintaining at waist because due to illness, I've let my longer ends get damaged, and I want to let the damage grow out, so I'll probably chill at waist a year or two.

But if I hadn't sustained so much damage and I was just letting it grow, I'd trim only when my ends seemed to need it.

It's individual. What works for me isn't necessarily going to work for you or anyone else.

[lapushka]

I haven't trimmed since November of last year. This year went well, and without hiccups; I just don't think about it, moisturize well, clarify well and just take good care of my ends/lengths. It works for me. So far. We'll see what next year brings. I am going into next year's no-trimming without trimming in between. No need to, and it is always just such a hassle to do (to make a ponytail on my forehead and snip a bit off is a chore with thick hair in and of itself). Besides I am going for classic... maybe 6 more months? Might be.

[Mega Moose]

I've been micro trimming monthly, and at the suggestion of a lady with stunning long hair who works in the cafeteria of the hospital I work in, I've started doing my trims on the new moon. There may be nothing to it, but I figure she has great hair so I'll try doing what she says. XD Anyhoo, I've been doing that for 3 months now and so far so good! I only trim like .5cm or less each time, so I'm still noticing good growth when I compare progress every few weeks (I've never officially measured, I just notice which body parts my hair can touch now :P).

[Groovy Granny]

*I* Trimmed when needed ~ micro trimmed if ends were damaged (only 1/2 of the new growth)..... otherwise, I let it grow.

I did that until my layers made me crazy because my hair is so fine and my hemline was thin...then I snipped an inch x 2.

And now at one length with healthy ends, I play it by ear month to month as to whether I leave it....dust racers...or snip to maintain.

[akurah]

Unless your hair is breaking off or fragile, if you want it to grow, you don't want to cut it. Trims don't promote growth, they prevent breakage and remove split ends.

[school of fish]

There is no universal answer here - different types of hair respond differently

For me, I have delicate fine hair that accrues mechanical damage if left unchecked, and I gain and retain length MUCH better if I microtrim frequently - every month - than if I let months pass between trims. Damage begets more damage for me, so I need to make sure that I keep my ends as fresh as possible to avoid the snowball effect. I just make sure that I trim less than my monthly growth when I want to gain length.

This doesn't work for everyone - for those with a slow growth rate, or with a stall/spurt growth pattern, or with super resilient hair that is more damage resistant, or with a tight curl pattern where shrinkage eats up visible length, my approach would probably just set them back.

Each of us learns our own hair to discern the best way forward

[pandabarrier]

I voted “I’m trying to trim as little as possible”. I was micro-trimming last year to grow out layers, a deep v-cut. My trim was November last year, and the hemline had a deep U shape.
This year I thought to myself, why not join the no-trim challenge?? I gained so much length this year, but the hemline is getting thinner. So for me, to trim or not to trim is a question of “do I wanna gain more length or thicken the hemline?”

[Crystawni]

It really is different for everyone. I'm enjoying the journey as I go, so trim a few centimetres every 4 months or so to keep the neat freak side of me happy. I want to be happy at any and every stage, and find this does the trick for me. And even with trimming, I've still gained heaps.

[MoonRabbit]

I only trim when my ends are too grabby and I am having more issues with tangles that moisture/clarifying can not fix.