Concern
Split Ends & Trim Timing
Split ends don't heal -- once a strand splits, the only real fix is removing the damaged part before it travels further up the hair shaft. The question isn't how often to trim on a fixed schedule, it's how to recognize the signs that ends actually need attention.
Full guide
How Often Should Curly Hair Be Trimmed?
Read itThe different shapes a split end takes
Not every split looks the same, and the shape says something about severity. An early, partial split at the very tip is the mildest version and can often wait for a routine trim. A full double split into two even strands is more established damage, and a 'tree split' or 'fork split' -- where the strand fans out into three or more pieces -- signals more advanced dehydration and damage that's worth trimming sooner rather than waiting for the next scheduled cut.
Why smoothing products only disguise it
Serums, oils, and 'split end repair' treatments can smooth a split strand enough to hide it temporarily, but none of them bond the split back together -- once the cuticle has separated at that point, it stays separated. The only way to actually remove a split end is to cut it off before it travels further up the shaft; a trim roughly every six to eight weeks (stretching to ten to twelve if hair is mostly kept in protective styles) keeps splits from getting far enough to cost more length than necessary.