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Best Ways to Trim Curly Hair at Home for Men Download ArticleExplore this Article IN THIS ARTICLE 1 How do you trim the top section of men’s curly hair? 2 How do you cut the sides and back of men’s curly hair? 3 How often should you cut curly hair? 4 Is it better to trim curly hair wet or dry? 5 What haircut is best for curly hair? + Show 2 more... - Show less... Other Sections Expert Q&A Video Tips and Warnings Related Articles References Co-authored by Michael Van den Abbeel and Janice Tieperman
Last Updated: January 19, 2025 Fact Checked
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This article was co-authored by Michael Van den Abbeel and by wikiHow staff writer, Janice Tieperman. Michael Van den Abbeel is a Professional Hair Stylist and the Owner of Mosaic Hair Studio and Blowout Bar in Orlando, Florida. He has been cutting, styling, and coloring hair for over 17 years. Michael loves showing his clients how to wash and wear their hair easily and effortlessly. Mosaic Hair Studio and Blowout Bar is recognized as a Diamond Top Tier level Wella salon. There are 8 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 117,428 times.
When it comes to trimming curly hair, there are a lot of options for you to consider. Don’t worry! There are a few tips and tricks you can try if you don’t feel like heading out to the salon. Take a look at some frequently asked questions and answers and see if there’s a solution that works for you!
Steps
Question 1
How do you trim the top section of men’s curly hair?
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1 Use hair-cutting shears to trim the top. Hair-cutting shears will allow you to leave the top section of the hair a bit longer than the sides and back. Unless the person whose hair you're cutting wants a buzzed, even length over their head, definitely use shears to trim the top so you don’t cut too much off.[1]XResearch source
2 Leave some length on top for a medium or long-length hairstyle. For a medium-length cut, you might leave the hair 3 in (7.6 cm) or so along the top. For a long-length hairstyle, you can leave the hair at least 5 or 6 in (13 or 15 cm) long, so it can frame the sides of the head.[2]XResearch source
Advertisement Question 2
How do you cut the sides and back of men’s curly hair?
Download Article
1 Use hair clippers to keep the sides and back short and tapered. Clippers are a great option if you’d like to achieve a clean-cut look along the sides and back of the head. Whenever you use clippers, you’ll need to pick out the right guard—this is a special cover that helps keep your hair a short, consistent length. The right guard length really depends on how short the person wants the back and sides of their hair to be.[3]XResearch source
Clipper guards are labeled with different numbers—the smaller the number, the shorter the hair will be. For reference, a number 1 guard will leave hair 1⁄8 in (0.32 cm) long, while a number 8 guard will leave hair 1 in (2.5 cm) long.[4]XResearch source
2 Use shears if you’d like the hair to be longer all around. Let the hair grow out all around the head, and make minor adjustments with a pair of hair-cutting shears.[5]XResearch source
Advertisement Question 3
How often should you cut curly hair?
Download Article
Trim hair every 3 to 6 weeks. Fine-tuned haircuts, like fades, can get pretty unruly if they aren’t trimmed and adjusted regularly. Don’t worry about trimming hair once every weekend—once a month or so is a good place to keep up.[6]XResearch source
Question 4
Is it better to trim curly hair wet or dry?
Download Article
Dry haircuts have a lot of benefits. Overall, dry haircuts tend to be more precise and make it a lot easier to spot any split ends. Sometimes, damp hair looks longer than it actually is, which can lead to some unwanted surprises once the haircut is done. Dry cutting makes it a lot easier to tell where the curls will naturally fall, and how they’ll look in real time.[7]XResearch source
Advertisement Question 5
What haircut is best for curly hair?
Download Article
1 Quiff the hair for a natural, wind-blown look. Quiffed hair is curled upwards, which creates a really posh, sophisticated look. Try out this haircut for a change of pace, or if you’d just like to look a little more elegant while you’re out and about.[8]XResearch source
2 Keep the hair faded if you’re working with an afro. Afros can be tough to work with and manage, especially if they’re on the longer side. Instead, try a fade haircut, which keeps the afro longer on the top but shorter and sleeker along the sides and back.[9]XResearch source
3 Shave the sides to create an undercut. Clip sides of the hair so they’re super short. Let the curls along the top of the head grow out, which creates a cool contrast between the top and sides of the head.[10]XResearch source
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Question How should I style my curly hair? Michael Van den Abbeel Professional Hair Stylist Michael Van den Abbeel is a Professional Hair Stylist and the Owner of Mosaic Hair Studio and Blowout Bar in Orlando, Florida. He has been cutting, styling, and coloring hair for over 17 years. Michael loves showing his clients how to wash and wear their hair easily and effortlessly. Mosaic Hair Studio and Blowout Bar is recognized as a Diamond Top Tier level Wella salon. Michael Van den Abbeel Professional Hair Stylist Expert Answer Styling all starts with the haircut. Most people who struggle with their hair have the wrong haircut for their texture. You have to work with the texture you have—the more you fight against it, the more work styling is going to become,and the more products you're going to need. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 1 Helpful 3
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Watch YouTube tutorials so you can follow along with salon experts.[11]XResearch sourceThanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0
Submit a Tip All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published Name Please provide your name and last initial Submit Thanks for submitting a tip for review! Advertisement
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Co-authored by: Michael Van den Abbeel Professional Hair Stylist This article was co-authored by Michael Van den Abbeel and by wikiHow staff writer, Janice Tieperman. Michael Van den Abbeel is a Professional Hair Stylist and the Owner of Mosaic Hair Studio and Blowout Bar in Orlando, Florida. He has been cutting, styling, and coloring hair for over 17 years. Michael loves showing his clients how to wash and wear their hair easily and effortlessly. Mosaic Hair Studio and Blowout Bar is recognized as a Diamond Top Tier level Wella salon. This article has been viewed 117,428 times. 14 votes - 93% Co-authors: 10Updated: January 19, 2025 Views: 117,428 Categories: Featured Articles | Haircuts In other languages Spanish Portuguese Japanese
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Yes No Advertisement Cookies make wikiHow better. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Co-authored by: Michael Van den Abbeel Professional Hair Stylist Co-authors: 10Updated: January 19, 2025 Views: 117,42893% of readers found this article helpful. 14 votes - 93% Click a star to add your vote 93% of people told us that this article helped them.
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Download Article Explore this Article IN THIS ARTICLE 1 How do you trim the top section of men’s curly hair? 2 How do you cut the sides and back of men’s curly hair? 3 How often should you cut curly hair? 4 Is it better to trim curly hair wet or dry? 5 What haircut is best for curly hair? + Show 2 more... - Show less... Other Sections Expert Q&A Video Tips and Warnings Related Articles References Co-authored by Michael Van den Abbeel and Janice Tieperman 
How toCut Curly Hair 
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Co-authored by: Michael Van den Abbeel Professional Hair Stylist This article was co-authored by Michael Van den Abbeel and by wikiHow staff writer, Janice Tieperman. Michael Van den Abbeel is a Professional Hair Stylist and the Owner of Mosaic Hair Studio and Blowout Bar in Orlando, Florida. He has been cutting, styling, and coloring hair for over 17 years. Michael loves showing his clients how to wash and wear their hair easily and effortlessly. Mosaic Hair Studio and Blowout Bar is recognized as a Diamond Top Tier level Wella salon. This article has been viewed 117,428 times. 14 votes - 93% Co-authors: 10 Updated: January 19, 2025 Views: 117,428 Categories: Featured Articles | Haircuts In other languages Spanish Portuguese Japanese 
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1 Use hair-cutting shears to trim the top. Hair-cutting shears will allow you to leave the top section of the hair a bit longer than the sides and back. Unless the person whose hair you're cutting wants a buzzed, even length over their head, definitely use shears to trim the top so you don’t cut too much off.[1] 
2 Leave some length on top for a medium or long-length hairstyle. For a medium-length cut, you might leave the hair 3 in (7.6 cm) or so along the top. For a long-length hairstyle, you can leave the hair at least 5 or 6 in (13 or 15 cm) long, so it can frame the sides of the head.[2] Advertisement 
1 Use hair clippers to keep the sides and back short and tapered. Clippers are a great option if you’d like to achieve a clean-cut look along the sides and back of the head. Whenever you use clippers, you’ll need to pick out the right guard—this is a special cover that helps keep your hair a short, consistent length. The right guard length really depends on how short the person wants the back and sides of their hair to be.[3] 
2 Use shears if you’d like the hair to be longer all around. Let the hair grow out all around the head, and make minor adjustments with a pair of hair-cutting shears.[5] Advertisement 
Trim hair every 3 to 6 weeks. Fine-tuned haircuts, like fades, can get pretty unruly if they aren’t trimmed and adjusted regularly. Don’t worry about trimming hair once every weekend—once a month or so is a good place to keep up.[6] 
Dry haircuts have a lot of benefits. Overall, dry haircuts tend to be more precise and make it a lot easier to spot any split ends. Sometimes, damp hair looks longer than it actually is, which can lead to some unwanted surprises once the haircut is done. Dry cutting makes it a lot easier to tell where the curls will naturally fall, and how they’ll look in real time.[7] Advertisement 
1 Quiff the hair for a natural, wind-blown look. Quiffed hair is curled upwards, which creates a really posh, sophisticated look. Try out this haircut for a change of pace, or if you’d just like to look a little more elegant while you’re out and about.[8] 
2 Keep the hair faded if you’re working with an afro. Afros can be tough to work with and manage, especially if they’re on the longer side. Instead, try a fade haircut, which keeps the afro longer on the top but shorter and sleeker along the sides and back.[9] 
3 Shave the sides to create an undercut. Clip sides of the hair so they’re super short. Let the curls along the top of the head grow out, which creates a cool contrast between the top and sides of the head.[10] Advertisement 
Michael Van den Abbeel Professional Hair Stylist Michael Van den Abbeel is a Professional Hair Stylist and the Owner of Mosaic Hair Studio and Blowout Bar in Orlando, Florida. He has been cutting, styling, and coloring hair for over 17 years. Michael loves showing his clients how to wash and wear their hair easily and effortlessly. Mosaic Hair Studio and Blowout Bar is recognized as a Diamond Top Tier level Wella salon.