It's never explained to us how often we should actually get a haircut and most of us go to the visit the barbershop on average every 2-4 weeks for short to medium length styles, but is that right?

Well, the decision on how often you should get your haircut will normally come down to one of 3 things:

1. The style you have / want

2. How fast your hair grows

3. How you judge that your hair is too long

Let's explain that further and start with number 1 as the style you have is going to be the biggest factor in determing how often you should get a haircut.

How Often Should You Get A Haircut - Styles

Ultra harsh haircuts

We'll start with the haircuts which are going to require the most maintance as they grow out. These are going to be your harsher haircuts and shapes like hard parts, shaved hairlines and severe undercuts. Now while these may look sharp at the time, they likely won't grow out as well as other softer haircuts. The reason being that these are unnatural to your hair, as they are being shaped in. This will mean that you will be visiting your barber more often if you want them to stay as sharp as they were when they were first cut.

Especially with hard parts and shaved hairlines, they will be very noticeable as they grow out. That isn't to say you shouldn't go for them, these will likely make the hair look a lot sharper and easier to style as the hair is shaped into that specific style and can only really go one way. But if you're someone who likes to visit the barber sporadically every 6 weeks then these probably aren't for you!

Skin fades

The average persons hair grows out an average rate of 0.5 inches per month (a number 4 clipper guard). This means that if you were to get a skin fade at the start of the month then by the start of the next month you'd likely have a number 4 on the back and sides, so clearly it's going to look a lot different to how it looked at the start if you're going bald on the back and sides.

If you're looking to keep it ultra fresh then you're probably going to need the back and sides freshened up every 1-2 weeks. But if you don't mind it growing out then an average 3-4 weeks will be just fine. A skin fade should still grow out pretty well, other than the fact that it looks like there's a lot more hair there, so once you get passed that you should be fine.

Short / medium length haircuts

This will be the category that most gents fall into. These will be your crops, pompadours, quiffs, side parts. Maybe a 2-3 on the back and sides with length left on top. These haircuts should grow out pretty well and last you around 3-5 weeks. They won't be as harsh as the others and therefore it won't be as noticeable once they start to get longer.

A general rule for these haircuts is the messier it looks at the start, the longer it will probably last. This is because it's not meant to look perfect so once it does start to get a bit messier, it won't be as noticeable.

If you are starting to get a bit fed up of how the hair looks after a couple of weeks then rotate your haircuts. Every 2-3 weeks just get the back and sides cut, and every 4-6 weeks get a full haircut. This should keep you happier in between and mean you don't have any periods where you don't like your style! Most barbers now offer a cheaper service for just having the back and sides cut too.

Long length hairstyles

Longer length hairstyles are going to have you visiting your barber or hairdresser the least. With the hair growing at an average rate of 0.5 inches per month, you're likely not going to notice this extra length on your hair at the end of the month. So as it gets longer and longer, your time between cuts will likely get wider apart.

A general rule of thumb for longer length hairstyles is to visit your barber once the hair starts to get split ends, and/or starts to get heavy. When this happens just get your barber to take off some of the length or add some shape and layers into it. This will all be a matter of personal preference, but you're probably looking at 6-12 weeks as a good guide for how often to be visiting your barber depending on the length of your hair. If you don't mind waiting longer then stick with it, it's a complete matter of personal preference and some gents will probably be able to go 6-12 months+ without touching it.

How you care for your hair will also be a huge factor in how often you should visit your barber with longer hair, so make sure to get yourself a proper haircare routine to keep the hair healthy for longer.

(Related: The best hairstyles for men with thick hair)

How Often Should You Get A Haircut - Other Points To Consider

And then there's two more factors in really determining how often you should have a haircut that are worth mentioning -

1) How fast your hair grows

It can be very annoying when you have fast growing hair. You feel like you need more regular haircuts and you find it harder to keep your hair looking barbershop fresh for longer. But the biggest benefit of fast growing hair is it means you're growing hair. So ask yourself, would you rather have fast growing hair or have no growing hair? For most of us, I think that's a pretty simple choice. So it's time we stopped complaining and counted our blessings! If your hair doesn't grow as fast then you're probably going to get a little more out of your cuts. The same goes for how thick and unruly your hair is - the more unruly the more often you're probably going to be in the barber chair if you want to control it.

2) How do you personally judge your hair is too long

We all have our ways of judging. It could be as simple as once you have hair on the side of your head. It could be when your hair starts sticking up once you get out of bed in the morning. It could be when your hair becomes a lot harder to style. Or maybe it's those short sticking out bits at the side of your head that you get.

Whatever it is, will also determine how often you should get your hair cut. If you're finding yourself needing too regular trims for your liking then think about what it is that is annoying you. Once you've found this then once again communicate this with your barber at the start of your next trim. If your barber knows what it is that is annoying you when it grows out, they may be able to fix it or recommend a more suitable hairstyle.

It all comes down to the sort of person you are, how quick your hair grows, what you judge your hair growing out on and the time and budget you have. Once you get to grips with that then you can start to communicate it with your barber.

Do aim though for the 3-5 week mark for a good guideline for you to be needing a haircut. If it's any sooner than that, then you want to really consider what we've mentioned in this post.

(Related: The best haircuts for men with thin hair)

Tips For Making Your Haircut Last Longer

1) Don't go for harsh haircuts. The harsher the haircut, the harder it's going to be for it to grow out well. So if you want your hair to last a few extra weeks then keep your hairline more natural, don't go for that hard part, or go for a nicer blend to the hair like a lower fade instead of the severe undercut. The reason celebrities like David Beckham and Ryan Gosling often always look good (bar the money and stylists) is they keep blends, hairlines, necklines and around the ears looking very natural at all times, meaning it's not as noticeable if the hair grows out.

2) Work with YOUR hair. One of the worst things you can do for getting your hair to grow out well is go against what your hair naturally wants to do. If you have a cowlick or a whorl then don't just try to get it cut short to avoid it, work with it and look for styles that suit the way your hair naturally grows.

3) Get an in between haircut. A great tip for maintaining your hair is to go get the back and sides cut every 2-3 weeks if you have the time and money to do so. Normally it's the back and sides that start to become more noticeable to us as they grow out, so just get these tidied up in between. Then get your normal haircut every 4-6 weeks with the top and the back and sides done. If you're going every 2-3 weeks anyway then this could save you some money, as you'll likely get the back and sides cut done cheaper.

4) Communicate with your barber. The most important piece of advice is to talk to your barber. If your crown starts to stick up after 3 weeks then tell them, if the hair around your ears and neck isn't looking good for you after 2 weeks then tell them. It's important to communicate what you like and dislike about your haircuts with your barber so that they know and can tailor something for you. Otherwise you'll just be getting back in the seat and getting the same haircut every time when you're not happy. If your barber doesn't listen then it may be time to move on, but make sure you're communicating effectively first.