How to Trim Sideburns when You're Growing Out Your Hair - wikiHow

Co-authored by Tiffany Carnevale-Russo and Eric McClure

Last Updated: July 15, 2022 References

Growing your hair out can be exciting, especially if you’ve been living with a short cut for some time. Unfortunately, sideburns tend to grow out instead of down, and it often feels like they can get out of control pretty quick. To keep things under control, it’s generally a good idea to trim your sideburns periodically as you’re growing your hair out. However, if you’re going for a bit of an unruly look or you’re growing out some striking mutton chops, there’s nothing wrong with letting your sideburns grow free.

Question 1 of 7:

Should I trim my sideburns when growing my hair out?

It’s up to you, but it’s probably a good idea to trim them on occasion. As you grow your hair out, your sideburns may become a little unruly and hard to style. Trimming them back regularly will keep them from sticking out to the side while your hair is getting longer.^{[1]
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Research source} You don’t want to trim them back so far that it doesn’t match the rest of your hair, but a little maintenance will keep you looking clean.^{[2]
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- If you slick your hair back and you use a lot of product, you can totally let the sideburns grow out and just comb them back behind your ears. You may still want to trim the wiry tufts below your ears, though.
- It’s totally fine to just let your sideburns grow out if you like the way they look. There are no hard rules when it comes to styling your hair.

Question 2 of 7:

How long should sideburns be with long hair?

It depends, but they should look consistent with your hair style. If you’ve got straight hair than grows straight down, you probably want your sideburns to be a little shorter so they don’t stick out too much. If you’ve got a bit of an unruly look going on or your hair is curly, keeping your sideburns a little longer will help them match the rest of your hair. So long as it looks natural, the length is totally up to you.^{[3]
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- In terms of the vertical length, you want the sideburns to start in the middle of your ear or lower. If they end too high, your sideburns will stand out.
- Keep in mind, if you’ve got a beard, you may want to keep your sideburns at roughly the same length as the hair on your jaw.

Question 3 of 7:

Should I use scissors to trim my sideburns?

You can use hair cutting shears, just be careful not to cut your ears. Use your fingers to pull your sideburns out away from you to identify the areas where your sideburns are too long. Then, hold your shears with the blades pointing up and use the tips of the blades to trim the hair back. Cut your sideburns back on both sides until you’re happy with the length.^{[4]
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Research source} Just make sure they are even on both sides.
- If you want a closer cut, use a comb to brush your sideburns down and use the tips of your shears to trim back any hairs that stick out too far. Then, comb your sideburns up and cut each side back to be closer to your cheek.^{[5]
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- Work slowly! Your movements will be reversed in the mirror and you don’t want to accidentally pierce your ears with the shears.

Question 4 of 7:

Can I use clippers to trim my sideburns?

If you’re going for a cleaner fade, electric clippers are ideal. Put a #2 or #3 guard on your clippers and use a fine-tooth comb to raise your hair up. Starting underneath your sideburns, trim upwards while using your comb to guide the blade guard. You can taper your sideburns to be thicker as they lead into your hair, or keep them a consistent length depending on your personal preferences.^{[6]
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- This is the ideal method if you’re growing out a Mohawk or undercut and the hair on the sides of your head is shaved back or shorter.
- It's best to go to a professional to have them cut your sideburns evenly, which will make them easier to maintain.

Question 5 of 7:

Should women remove their sideburns?

It is entirely up to you and your personal preferences. If you’re uncomfortable with your sideburns, go ahead and trim them back. If you like the way they look, leave them!^{[7]
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Research source} If you want to trim them, remove any makeup and tie your hair back. Pull up any hair you want to keep and pin it against your head with an elastic headband. Trim your sideburns back with small shears.^{[8]
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Research source} Then, use an epilator to completely remove any remaining hair.^{[9]
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- You can use tweezers to remove wayward stubble or errant hairs after you’ve removed the sideburns with your epilator.
- If you wear your hair down, people aren’t going to even know you’ve got sideburns. They’re really only going to be visible if you prefer up-dos and ponytails.

Question 6 of 7:

Are sideburns in style?

Absolutely—unless you’re bald, sideburns are totally in style. So long as your sideburns look natural and they match the rest of your hair, you’re in a good place style-wise. If you totally remove your sideburns or cut them back so far that they’re barely visible, you’re bucking the current trend as far as hair styling goes.^{[10]
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- If you are bald and you have a beard, go ahead and grow out your sideburns if you’d like. If you don’t have any facial hair though, you’re better off shaving the sideburns away so they match your head/face.

Question 7 of 7:

Do sideburns make your face look thinner?

It depends on the shape of your face and the texture of your hair. If you have an oval face, you’re best off with medium-length sideburns that end at, or just below, the middle of your ear. If you have a thinner face, thicker sideburns can go a long way to adding some width. For round-faced folks, you have a lot of freedom with the length of your sideburns, but you don’t want to leave them super thick.^{[11]
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- The texture is important as well. If you have wiry or curly hair and your sideburns are long, it’s going to stick out a lot more. That may be a good thing if you have a thin face, but it can be problematic if you have a rounder head.