How Often Should You Get a Haircut, The Real Answer
The Six Week Rule Is Wrong, And Here Is Why
A friend tells you to book every six weeks. Your old stylist used to say eight. Your mum swore by four. The magazines say twelve. The truth is that nobody should be on a blanket schedule. Your hair is not her hair, and the goal you are working toward changes the answer completely.
At Kohort on Bridge Road in Richmond, haircut timing is one of the first questions new clients ask. Most of them are on a schedule that is either too often (spending money they do not need to) or too rarely (watching the shape they loved disappear between visits). Both are fixable with a five-minute conversation at the basin.
This is the conversation, written down. By the end of it you will know exactly how often you should be booking, based on your length, your texture, your colour, and whether you are growing, maintaining, or shortening your hair.
The Direct Answer, By Goal And Shape
Here is the honest timing grid.
| Hair goal / shape | Haircut frequency | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Pixie cut | Every 4 to 6 weeks | The shape disappears fast, this is the only cut that needs the six-week rule |
| Short bob or crop above the jaw | Every 6 to 8 weeks | Keeps the line sharp, prevents the shape growing into an awkward phase |
| Chin-length bob | Every 8 to 10 weeks | Shape holds longer, ends still need maintenance |
| Long bob (lob) | Every 10 to 12 weeks | Cleaner growth, ends drive timing |
| Shoulder length with layers | Every 10 to 14 weeks | Layers soften rather than disappear, dust the ends |
| Mid-back long hair, growing | Every 12 to 16 weeks | Dust or micro-trim only, preserve length |
| Long hair, maintaining | Every 10 to 12 weeks | Ends dictate, not length |
| Curly hair | Every 10 to 14 weeks | Curls hide damage, dry cut preferred |
| Fringe | Every 3 to 4 weeks | Fringe trim only, not a full cut |
| Colour maintenance cut | Every 12 to 16 weeks | Your colour schedule drives timing, not your cut |
| Hair in recovery from damage | Every 6 to 8 weeks | Aggressive trimming to chase breakage upward |
The rule most people miss, you do not need a full cut every time you visit. A fringe trim, a dust, or an ends-only tidy is a legitimate service. Book what the hair actually needs.
The difference between a full cut and a dust
A full haircut is 30 to 60 minutes of shape work, where the stylist rebuilds layers, refines the perimeter, and resets the silhouette. A dust is five to ten minutes of the stylist taking two to five millimetres off the ends to clean up splits. A dust costs much less and keeps long hair healthy without losing length.
At Kohort we will tell you honestly which one you need. If the shape is holding and the ends are fraying, dust. If the layers have grown out and the silhouette looks heavy, full cut. Do not let anyone upsell you into a full cut when you do not need one.
What Actually Drives Your Schedule
Most people think length is the driver. It is not. Four things drive how often you need a haircut, in order.
Shape, not length
The shorter the shape, the more visible the growth. A pixie at three weeks still looks like a pixie. At six weeks it is an awkward ear-covering mass. A long bob at twelve weeks is still a long bob, just a bit longer. The cleaner the geometry of your cut, the more often you need it maintained.
Your hair texture
Fine hair shows split ends earlier because each strand is more fragile. Coarse hair hides damage for longer. Curly hair camouflages almost everything, which is why dry cutting on curls is so important, the stylist is responding to what the curl is actually doing.
Your colour and chemical services
If your hair has been lightened, bleached, foiled, or smoothed, the ends will fray faster. Lightened blondes typically need more frequent micro-trims than natural brunettes. If you have had a Bhave Keratin Smoothing treatment or a nanoplasty, the ends will hold better for two to three months post-treatment.
Your styling habits
Daily GHD use breaks the cuticle. Tight hair ties cause mechanical damage at the band line. A high bun five days a week shows up as breakage at the mid-length within months. Clients who air dry and style loose need fewer cuts than clients who flat iron every morning.
How To Tell You Need A Cut, Five Real Signals
Skip the calendar. Use these instead.
1. You can see your split ends in good light without looking hard. That is the cue to book. If they are only visible when you pull a strand under a lamp, you have time.
2. Your usual style stops sitting the way it used to. Layers looking stringy. The ends flicking where they should fall. That is shape loss, and it is a proper cut cue.
3. Your ponytail feels thinner at the bottom than the top. The ends are thinning from damage, and chasing the breakage up with a cut prevents further loss.
4. You are avoiding wearing your hair down because it looks tired. That is usually six to eight weeks past due.
5. Your fringe is touching your eyelashes. Book the fringe trim, not the full cut.
The Melbourne Angle
Melbourne climate and lifestyle push hair harder than you might think, and it changes the cut schedule.
Wind, UV and humidity swing through a single week in Richmond. Summer in Fitzroy, Abbotsford and Collingwood adds genuine humidity to the Yarra side of the city. Hair that has been coloured or heat styled through the summer shows more split ends in February and March than at any other time of year. Clients who are in and out of the river, running the Tan, or swimming at the Richmond or Prahran pools come in for an end-of-summer clean-up.
Winter in Melbourne is a different challenge. Central heating, beanie friction and wool scarves cause breakage at the mid-length and nape. Clients from Cremorne, Hawthorn and Kew who commute by bike or tram through winter often need a short-length tidy in July to clean up wool-and-beanie damage.
Water quality matters too. Our inner-east suburbs sit at 40 to 60 ppm calcium carbonate, technically soft but still mineral-heavy enough to dull and coarsen the ends over time. A Kérastase Fusio Dose Ritual or Davines Liquid Luster at the cut appointment restores shine between trims.
One more note on Melbourne. Because the weather changes so quickly, most clients are wearing their hair in different styles across a single week. A proper cut accounts for that. At Kohort we ask how you wear your hair most often, how you style it on bigger days, and how much time you spend with it tied back. The cut is built for the whole week, not just one version.
Cost Per Cut Versus Cost Per Year
Clients think about the cost of one appointment. They rarely think about the annual number. That is the one that matters.
A full cut every six weeks at 120 dollars is about 1,040 a year. A full cut every ten weeks at 130 is 680. A full cut every twelve weeks at 140 is 600, and a dust in between at 60 is 240. You save money by being on the correct schedule for your hair, not by cutting corners on the service.
This is why a consultation matters. At Kohort the consultation is free, the stylist will tell you honestly how often you need to come back, and you leave with a schedule that fits the hair and the budget.
Red Flags When Booking
If you are not sure whether your current schedule is right, screen for these.
1. Does your stylist recommend a specific next appointment based on your hair, or do they default to the six-week rule for everyone? A proper stylist customises the schedule.
2. Does the salon offer a dust or fringe trim as a separate service? If everything is priced as a full cut, they are charging for work you do not always need.
3. Does your stylist ask how you style at home? If they are not asking, they cannot build a cut that lives through the week.
4. Are they chasing breakage with a cut when a bond builder like K18 Molecular Repair or Olaplex Bonding Treatment would do more? Sometimes the fix is a treatment, not scissors.
5. Are they talking about the whole picture, colour, cut, treatment, or just the cut? Your schedule is a package.
You can read about our cutting approach on the hair treatment page, or browse the stylist pages to find someone whose portfolio matches the finish you want. Billie specialises in short hair and precision work, Zoe is excellent on long layered cuts, and Sheree handles short-to-medium and colour-driven cuts.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often should I get a haircut if I am growing my hair?
Every twelve to sixteen weeks for a dust or micro-trim. Cutting less often than that means the split ends migrate up the shaft, and you end up cutting more off when you finally do book. A regular small trim actually helps hair grow longer, because the ends stay intact.
How often should I trim a pixie cut?
Every four to six weeks. A pixie is the one shape where the old six-week rule actually holds, because the geometry of the cut is visible from every angle and grows out fast.
Do split ends make hair grow slower?
No, they do not slow growth at the root, where all new growth happens. But they do make hair look shorter because the ends fray, break and snap off. A regular trim keeps the ends intact, so the length you are growing stays visible.
Is it true that cutting hair makes it grow faster?
No, that is a myth. Hair grows about 1 to 1.5 centimetres a month from the scalp regardless of how often you cut. What a cut does is prevent the ends from splintering, which preserves the length you already have.
How often should I get a haircut if I have long hair?
Every ten to sixteen weeks, depending on how you style it and whether your hair is chemically treated. A dust every twelve weeks is the sweet spot for most long-haired clients who want to preserve length.
Can I just get a fringe trim between cuts?
Yes. Fringe trims are a separate service and usually take ten to fifteen minutes. Most Melbourne salons, including Kohort, price them low because they are a quick touch-up. A fringe should be trimmed every three to four weeks.
How often should curly hair be cut?
Every ten to fourteen weeks, ideally dry cut so the stylist is responding to the curl pattern. Curls hide damage well but once split ends take hold they affect the curl shape. A specialist dry cut every three months keeps the curl clean.
Does hair need to be trimmed if it is not damaged?
Yes, but less often. Healthy hair still splits at the ends due to friction from clothing, ties and towels. A gentle dust every twelve to sixteen weeks is enough to keep healthy hair looking sharp without shortening it.
Should I get a haircut before a colour service?
Usually after, not before. Most colourists prefer to lighten or tone the existing length, then cut to finish the shape. If the ends are very damaged, we cut first to save product on hair that is going to be removed anyway. Talk to your stylist at consultation about the order.
Is it okay to skip a haircut for six months?
For long hair in good condition, yes. For short hair, no, the shape will disappear. Skipping cuts for long periods usually means the ends fray upward, and your next cut has to take off more centimetres than a regular trim schedule would.
How much should a haircut cost in Melbourne?
Pricing across inner-east Melbourne salons runs from around 80 dollars for a junior cut to 180 for a senior stylist cut on long hair. Expect higher pricing at salons offering longer consultations, advanced training and premium product use. Dusts and fringe trims are usually priced between 30 and 60 dollars.
Is it worth seeing a specialist for a short cut?
Yes. Short hair shows every misplaced line and uneven weight point. A stylist who regularly cuts pixies, bobs and crops will have developed the eye and the technique that a mostly-long-hair stylist has not. At Kohort, Billie and Sheree both specialise in short work.
The Right Schedule For You
Here is the short version. Pixie, every four to six weeks. Bob, every six to ten. Long hair, every ten to sixteen with a dust in between. Curly, every ten to fourteen dry cut. Fringe, every three to four weeks as a standalone.
If you are unsure, come in for a free 15 minute consultation and we will tell you honestly how often your hair needs to be cut, based on what you actually want to achieve. Sometimes it is less often than you think. Sometimes it is more.
Zoe and Billie handle most of our regular cutting clients at Kohort. Billie specialises in short hair and precision shapes, Zoe in long layered cuts and lived-in work. You can book through either of their stylist pages, or browse the full stylist directory if you want to see portfolios first. Our hair treatment menu is worth a look if you want to pair the cut with a shine or bond ritual.
The goal of a cut is not to keep you on a schedule. It is to make sure the hair you are growing stays the hair you want to see in the mirror.
Related Services at Kohort
Meet the 7 stylists at Kohort or go straight to Book your appointment.