Get Hair to Flip Out

Young boy with long hair
Photo: ESB Professional/Shutterstock
Q: My son has very thin hair and would like it to flip out at the ends. It is long but I am not sure if when layering it if I should notch it from the top to the bottom to get it to flip out.
 
I cut it the same on both sides but one side always flip out perfectly and the other side wants to curl under. Thank you for your help.
 
A: My suggestion is to notch the layers from the underside, meaning that your longest length in the notched layers should be the hair at the top of the slice. This generally gives the best results in "flipping" the hair ends out, since the lower parts of the notching don't extend as far and help give a "choppy" texture.
 
It is common for one side of the hair to perform better than another, for various reasons. In some cases, when doing the styling on yourself it's simply a matter of off-handedness. It can also be a matter of differences in growth patterns in different areas of the scalp.
 
In most cases, this can be overcome through practice and the use of different styling methods and products. If you have trouble getting the level of control you want, you may try using a wax-based product to offer a firmer hold, with malleability.
 
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See also:
 
Notching and point cutting
 
Different hair growth patterns
 
How can I give my hair flipped out ends?
 
How can I make the bottom layers of a haircut to flip out?