Why Hairdressers Cut Too Short

Hairdresser cutting long hair
Photo: Nomad Soul/Shutterstock
Q: Why do hairdressers always cut your hair too short? It's frustrating to see how each time I need a trim I lose a lot of length. The length I saved is always lost when I go for a trim. How will I ever be able to have long hair again?
 
A: As I see it, there are several specific reasons this keeps happening. These reasons range from simple miscommunication to the personal bias of the hairdresser and his or her technical skill.
 
First, there is often a misunderstanding about the goal of your visit. If your hairdresser thinks that this is meant to be a standard maintenance cut to preserve the exact shape and length of the last cut he or she gave you, I can see where they might cut more hair off than you want.
 
With maintenance trims, the goal is to keep the hair at the same length and shape of your original haircut. However, if you are trying to grow your hair longer, the goal shifts. Your hair should only be micro-trimmed so that split ends are removed and uneven lengths are straightened out (since our individual hairs grow independently at varying rates). This allows the hair to look tidy without sacrificing all the length you have built up.
 

Stylist Bias and Mistakes

However, miscommunication isn't the only culprit:
 
• Personal Preference: Some stylists have a personal preference for shorter, sharper styles. They may subconsciously (or intentionally) nudge your hairstyle toward what they personally think looks best on you. They are cutting that extra bit because they prefer a shorter silhouette.
 
• Fixing Mistakes: Cutting a clean, perfectly straight line into hair requires a surprising amount of technical accuracy. If a stylist lacks precision or accidentally cuts an uneven line, he or she will keep taking off additional length to fix and even out the crooked line. Making two or three attempts to fix a crooked section can very quickly result in a noticeable loss of hair length.
 
• Hair Shrinkage: Hair reacts differently when wet versus dry. Factors like your hair's natural texture, wave pattern, and elasticity cause wet hair to stretch. If a stylist doesn't account for how much your hair will shrink when dry, he or she will cut it to the right length while wet, only for it to end up far too short once it is fully dry.
 
• Damage: When split ends are not trimmed away, they gradually travel further up the hair shaft. If a stylist sees significant damage or thinning ends, he or she may cut off what is damaged instead of sticking to the amount you asked to cut off.
 
Cut hair on the floor of a hair salon
 

Salon Recordkeeping

Unfortunately, it has been my experience that many stylists fail to do even basic recordkeeping when it comes to their repeat clients.
 
While one of the more important things we are taught at hair school is recordkeeping to track chemicals, cut history, and personal goals of clients, those who are salon-trained learn their craft based on the fast-paced priorities of the hair salon.
 
Very few commercial salons make it a habit to write down and maintain thorough client notes regarding haircuts. A few simple notes in a client file - noting down your long-term growth targets and personal cutting preferences - would lower the chances of a misunderstanding happening from one appointment to the next.
 
In the end, the responsibility falls on you to safeguard your own hair length. Always specify precise measurements (show them with your fingers on dry hair), explicitly state that you are growing your hair out, and stop spending your money on a stylist who lets his or her personal taste or lack of skill undermine your hair goals.
 
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See also:
 
Scissor happy hairdressers
 
Why hairdressers prefer short hair
 
Why hairdressers never do what you want