Does Hair Really Grow Faster If You Cut It?

Updated on June 13, 2010
V.T. asks from McKinney, TX
19 answers

My daughter is 15 months old and I really want her to have long hair so I haven't cut it. I was wondering if I cut it will it grow faster or is that an old wives tale?

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B.C.

answers from Norfolk on

It's a myth. If a hair has a split end, the split will continue up the shaft. So trimming a split end off keeps the damage from traveling up. Good nutrition will make hair grow longer, stronger and healthier (within the bounds of genetics - each of us has an ultimate terminal length which we can not grow beyond. It's very long for some people while other people can't grow it past their shoulders).

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S.K.

answers from Chicago on

The reason people think/say that is because if you have split ends or damaged hair it will continue to break off and appear to not really be growing. Even though new hair continues to grow at the root, the length will not increase much because it continues to break. Trimming off the most damaged part of the hair will keep it from breaking so much. With such a young child I don't think it would make a difference since her hair is not exposed to the products and heat that many adults use on their hair, therefore her hair should be quite healthy. I don't think my daughter got her first cut until she was 3 or 4.

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S..

answers from Orlando on

Think about it-- your hair grows from the root. How could cutting off the dead ends make it grow faster from the roots? Old wives tale. Your hair looks healthier when you trim off the split ends so it seems like it grew faster-- that's why I think people say that

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L.C.

answers from Dallas on

The reason why people say that is if you don't cut your hair for such a long time that the ends are completely dead you will have to cut them all off and your hair will end up being considerably shorter.

Your best bet is to give her a trim every 2-3 months to keep the splitends/deadends under control.

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G.B.

answers from Boise on

Hair grows faster in the summer and slower in the winter.

All hair has a life expectancy, and when that particular folicle reaches that "time" the peice of hair then dies and falls out. Hence, some people will never get hair past a certain length, even if they never cut their hair (like me).Mine never gets any longer than about 5 inches past my shoulder.

Biotin ( a b vitamin) is good for growing hair. Probiotics feed the biotin in your stomach. perhaps taking accidophilus or lactobaccilus can help increase your stomach biotin.

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C.B.

answers from Kansas City on

myth! get it trimmed and it will be prettier, healthier, shinier...but you can grow it out while still keeping it trimmed.

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P.W.

answers from San Francisco on

NO. Absolutely not. Old wives' tale.

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A.M.

answers from Dallas on

yes it will. my hairdresser told me to cut her hair and it will grow like a weed. now getting her to sit still to have that done is another story!

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G.A.

answers from Dallas on

Yes, just like your grass. G. W

M.C.

answers from Dallas on

no, it won't grow faster. Do your nails grow faster when you cut them??? No.

C.M.

answers from Los Angeles on

no it doesn't make it grow faster. That is a myth. Sorry!

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A.H.

answers from Dallas on

I was very disappointed to read this bc I cut my daughters hair bc she had the baby mullet hopeing it growns in better :D

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P.O.

answers from Jacksonville on

If you cut it, it simply grows healthier and stronger..not sure about faster!

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M.B.

answers from Albuquerque on

It is not true at all. When you cut a childs hair, even if you SHAVE it BALD, it only grows back courser.

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R.J.

answers from Seattle on

No it's not true. BUT... the reason it exists is because it's "sort of" true. LOL... it's because the ends break off, and they break of higher than if you kept it trimmed.

Just as an example... when I'm getting my hair trimmed every 2-3 months, I grow an average of 15 inches of hair a year. (I have fast growing hair). When I'm broke or busy, and not trimming... I grow about 5 inches of hair a year). Same diet, same exercise, same follicles... but one time I'm trimming before it can start breaking, and the other, they just break off. Kind of like fingernails. When I trim them, they don't snap off below the cuticle.

I've had 1/4 inch hair and waist length hair. ((I get ticked at my hair about once ever 10 years and shave my head)).

Children's hair is all spiffy-glossy because a) growth hormone that is saturating their system, and b) because the follicles are still developing. Her hair will change gradually as she grows, in part due to follicular maturity and in part due to the different types of hormones in her system. Cutting it will have no effect on her hormones. So the texture will stay the same. The ENDS won't be wispy anymore, unless she has curly hair (which tends to break a lot more than straight hair, just because of the hydrogen bonds in the proteins)... but again... that's a breakage thing.

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B.J.

answers from Dallas on

It's not true. It's just a myth.

M..

answers from Miami on

If I get my hair cut it DOES NOT grow faster.

I think that some people their hair grows fast and for others like mine it grows SUPER DUPER SLOW.

= )

D.P.

answers from Gainesville on

i agree with what is stated below myth its because the ends split and cause they hair to start dieing and splittin more.yeah a trim will make it look healtier and nicer but i neve cut my daughters hair until she was 4 yrs old and she only gets is cute 1 time a year because for kids they dont use what we do in our hair unless your a glitzy mom and do pagents and use stuff in it.then i would say more than 1 time a year but for you daughter i wouldnt worry to much because i doubt you use all that stuff in it..hope this help

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W.L.

answers from Dallas on

It does not make it grow faster. That being said it will give her a style while it is growing out so it looks neat and cute while it gets longer. You do not have to get a major cut just a shaping.

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