Hair Thinning & Length

Thinning hair with scissors — Photo: Maksvil/Shutterstock

Q: I have really thick hair and I'm Chinese. I've been thinking about getting it thinned out because it's just so heavy and bulky, but I'm pretty nervous about trying new things with my hair. I was wondering if you could help me understand what happens when hair gets thinned. Does my hair stay the same length as it was before, or does it end up shorter? And when it gets thinned, does that automatically mean it gets layered too?

A: Your concerns about trying something new with your hair are understandable, especially when you have thick, beautiful hair that you don't want to risk ruining. The good news is that proper hair thinning is actually a very controlled process that shouldn't dramatically change your overall appearance.

When your hair is thinned using the right technique, specifically with thinning shears (also called texturizing shears), the overall length and shape of your hairstyle remains essentially the same. Think of it this way: if your hair currently falls to your shoulders, it will still fall to your shoulders after thinning. The perimeter length that defines your hairstyle's shape stays intact.

However, to achieve that reduction in bulk and weight that you're seeking, the stylist does need to remove some hair, and this is where it gets a bit more technical. Thinning shears have one regular blade and one blade with teeth, kind of like a comb. When the stylist cuts with these shears, the toothed blade allows some hairs to pass through while cutting others. The cuts are typically made at strategic points along the hair shaft, usually around the one-third and two-thirds marks from the scalp. This means that while most of your hair maintains its full length, some strands are shortened at various points.

This creates what we call "diffuse layering," which is quite different from traditional layering. With regular layers, your stylist follows a specific pattern and cuts hair at predetermined lengths based on where it originates on your scalp. For example, in a classic layered cut, hair from the crown might be cut to four inches, hair from the sides to six inches, and hair from the back to eight inches, creating a graduated, structured look.

The shortened pieces created by thinning, on the other hand, are scattered randomly throughout your hair rather than following any particular pattern. These shorter pieces blend invisibly with the full-length hair, which is why the overall shape of your hairstyle doesn't change. You won't see distinct layers or steps in your hair like you would with regular layering.

For someone with your hair type, this technique can be very effective. Asian hair tends to be naturally thick and straight, which means it can feel very heavy and sometimes difficult to style. The random shorter pieces created by thinning help reduce the weight while adding a subtle texture that can make your hair more manageable and give it more movement.

If you're still feeling hesitant, consider starting conservatively. You can always have more hair thinned in a follow-up appointment, but you can't put it back once it's cut. A skilled stylist should be able to show you before and after photos of similar hair types and discuss exactly what her or she plans to do.

©Hairfinder.com

See also:

What type of thinning do you recommend for my thick hair?

I thinned my hair too much. Can I make it thick again?

What's a good number of teeth in one sided thinning shears?