If you’re a curly girl who’s recently gone natural, chances are good you’ve heard of the big chop. The big chop refers to someone who wants to speed up their natural hair transition by cutting off all of their chemically processed hair. These days, it’s not just women whose hair is transitioning who are cutting off their locks. Some women who wear their natural hair opt for the big chop journey in hopes that thicker, fuller, longer hair will grow in its place.
Countless before and after pictures on social media have lead people to believe that if they have the courage to cut off all of their hair and the patience to wait for it to grow back, they’ll be rewarded with the healthiest hair of their lifetime—but is that true?
Continue reading to find out if the big chop is the hair solution you’ve been looking for.
Will cutting your hair make it grow faster?
The unfortunate truth is that there’s no real way to make your hair grow faster. Your hair grows in a series of phases: The anagen or growth stage, the catagen or resting stage, and the telogen or shedding stage. Which means how much length you cut off doesn’t have any effect on how long your hair will grow. The only way to make your hair grow faster would be to lengthen your growing phase somehow—and science just isn’t there yet.
Will cutting your hair off make it grow back thicker?
Unfortunately, this answer is also no when it comes to thickness. The diameter of your strands, as well as the number of hair follicles on your scalp, is predetermined by your DNA. Which means there’s nothing—no treatment, hairstyle, haircut, or product—that can alter your strands. There is no way to grow thicker hair, but there are products on the market that can help your hair appear fuller.
If you’re looking to add some volume to your fine locks, we recommend swapping out your regular hair care products for those from the L’Oréal Professionnel Serie Expert Volumetry line. Formulated with salicylic acid and HydraLight, the shampoo and conditioner system will make hair look volumized cleansed, and lightly moisturized. For sky-high hair, follow the shampoo and conditioner with the Serie Expert Volumetry Volume Spray. Formulated with Intra-Cylane and HydraLight, the spray provides body and fullness to hair from root to tip.
Will cutting your hair off make it grow back healthier?
The answer to this one is tricky. Cutting your hair doesn’t alter the way your hair grows out of your head. The hair that grew out of your head before the big chop is the same hair that will continue to grow out of your head. However, we’ve all seen those before and after pictures and pictures don’t lie—so what gives?
If your hair seems healthier after a big chop, chances are good it’s because you’ve been taking better care of your hair. The decision to cut off your hair in hopes that it’ll grow back looking and feeling better than ever before is typically coupled with more frequent trips to the hair salon, an updated hair care routine, and a better understanding of your hair. Instead of caring for hair that has already been damaged, you’re now nourishing hair before it’s been damaged by any outside aggressors.
There are still plenty of reasons to opt for a big chop (short hair looks stunning on just about everyone), but you don’t need to cut off all of your hair to have a healthy mane. A healthy hair care routine will make your hair look and feel better no matter how long or short it is. Not sure which hair care routine is right for your mane? A trusted hair care professional will help you come up with the perfect routine for you and your hair.
Interested in advice about the perfect hair care regimen for you? Use our salon locator to book an appointment with a stylist near you.
