Hair Thinning Scissors Are Your Secret Weapon For Instant Texture— Here's Why

Home haircuts can be daunting, but having certain tools—like a good pair of hair thinning scissors—will set you up for success. If you want to get a salon-worthy, textured hairstyle at home, knowing how to use hair thinning shears is a great place to start (even if you usually have stick-straight hair). Ahead, top hairstylists share their tips for finding the right pair of hair thinning scissors along with how to use them to blend and texturize like a styling professional.

What Are Hair Thinning Scissors?

Thinning shears, or hair thinning scissors, are scissors with one blade that has teeth, and another blade that does not. The teeth are little grooves on the blade that will quickly cut your hair into even sections to help alleviate any excess weight. The scissors also soften lines and blend sections of the hair together to create a cohesive look.

What Are They Used For?

"Hair-thinning shears can be a really great tool when you are looking to remove internal weight in certain areas within your hair," says Los Angeles-based stylist, Xander Fuentes. "They can create a very soft look."

They can also add volume. "When your hair is sitting way too flat, hair thinning shears are a great option because of the way they can create a shattered look," Fuentes adds.

Just keep in mind that these shears are a secondary tool to any haircut and should not be used to achieve overall shape or structure in the hair. "Don't use thinning shears to build the shape, use them to 'decorate' the shape you created," says hairstylist Jay Small. "When using thinning shears, it should only be for the last 10 percent of the haircut."

Types of Hair Thinning Scissors

The main differentiating trait between thinning shears is the number of teeth. Some teeth are wider apart, while others are spaced much closer together. The number of teeth your shear has will inform how it's used. "There are three types [of thinning shears]," says Jones.

• Texturizing/blending: These shears typically have finer, smaller teeth—25 or more, according to Jones—ideal for blending and softening blunt lines. "The finer the tooth, the more blended and even the weight removal will be," says Small.
• Finishing: "Finishing shears have 15-22 teeth," Jones explains. "They create a soft finish on the ends of the hair and give 'heavy' hair more of an airy movement."
• Chunkier weight removal: These shears– which can be used to remove unwanted weight in the hair– usually have about 7-15 wider-set teeth, according to Jones. But be careful not to go too wide: "The larger the opening or space between teeth, the chunkier or more aggressive the cuts will be," says Small.
  

Is it Safe to Use Hair Thinning Scissors at Home?

Our experts deem thinning shears safe for home use—with the necessary precautions. Thinning shears have a softer edge than hair-cutting scissors, so you're less likely to hurt yourself or accidentally chop sections of hair. That said, "Be careful how you use them and what type you use," says Jones.

"When using hair thinning scissors at home, be sure to start at the mid-shaft of your hair follicle [and work] to the ends," Fuentes adds.

How to Select the Right Thinning Shear

"The easiest ones to use on yourself are the texturizing and finishing shears," Jones says. "[Texturizing shears] can give the hair more movement and lift," she says, while you want to stick to using finishing shears on your mid-lengths to ends to remove unwanted weight.

Thicker to medium-bodied hair may benefit from weight removal, while finer, straighter hair will benefit most from blending harsh lines. However, Small suggests, "It's less about the texture and more about the length." Since longer hair typically isn't cut as frequently, Small says that overusing thinning shears may leave the hair feeling thin, weak, or brittle. "Relying too heavily on thinning shears can result in a lack of shape," he says.

How to Use Thinning Shears

The main things to keep in mind when using thinning shears are cutting placement and the direction your shears face as you cut. "These shears can leave holes in the hair (especially the wider tooth ones)," says Jones.

Thinning shears cut sections of your hair shorter, so getting too close to the scalp or hairline can also cause issues. "[The shorter hairs] may start to lift off the head, similar to when a cowlick is cut too short and stands on end," Small explains. And if your shears are facing the opposite direction than your hair grows in when the cut is made, it'll result in a noticeably chunky, misplaced snip.

Remember: A few snips will go a long way with this tool.

To Blend Shorter, Finer Hair:

1. Dry the hair.
2. Use a scissor over comb method between two distinctly different length points.
3. Gradually graze your way up and out with the thinning shear and a comb. Make sure the flat edge of your shear is on the bottom of your grip, and the teeth are on top.

To Texturize or Remove Weight:

1. Comb through your hair to remove any tangles.
2. Take a one-inch section and place it between your middle and pointer fingers.
3. Take the shears one inch up from the length and angle them down in the direction of the hair growth. Each snip using thinning shears should be like gliding a comb through your hair, so when you make your cut, be sure and glide the shears all the way down through your ends.
4. If you want to remove more weight, Jones suggests starting your first snip an extra inch higher up from the length of your hair.