How often should you actually cut curly hair?

Most stylists recite the same line: trim every six to eight weeks. That advice was built for straight hair where split ends travel up the shaft and visibly damage the line. Curls behave differently.

A healthy curly head needs a shape refresh every 12 to 16 weeks — sometimes longer for low-density coils. What matters more than the calendar is what your curl is doing:

• Single-strand knots multiplying near the ends
• The shape collapsing on one side
• Your wash-and-go suddenly needing twice as much gel

Those are the real signals. When a client comes in at 14 weeks looking like a 3-week cut, I know we built the shape right.

The other variable: are you protective-styling? A head that lives in twists or braids most months can stretch trims to six months without losing integrity. A head you wear out daily, in Georgia humidity, will need attention sooner.

If you're unsure, book a curl consultation — half the appointment is mapping your timeline.