This article was co-authored by Arthur Sebastian. Arthur Sebastian is a Professional Hair Stylist based in San Francisco, California. He is the Owner of Arthur Sebastian Hair Salon, a studio offering Hair Styling, Color & Brazilian Blowout services. Arthur has 30 years of experience styling hair. His career began with apprenticeships at Wayne’s Beauty College in Santa Cruz, California Miss Marty’s School of Beauty in San Francisco, California. After receiving his Cosmetology License in 1998, he rented his first station at Wack Shack Hair Salon in San Francisco, going on to hold positions at Posh Hair Salon, Acabello Hair Salon, and Red Union Salon before opening his own studio. With over 500 online customer reviews, Arthur Sebastian Hair Salon has a 5 star average rating on Yelp and 4.9 average review on Google.
There are 11 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.
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Ready to move on from your undercut and try out a new style? This article will walk you through how to grow out an undercut with as few awkward in-between stages as possible. We’ve also included some tips to help you style your hair in the meantime.
How to Grow Out Side Shaves and Undercuts
Allow your hair to grow out for several months—do not cut the sides or back of your head. As your hair grows, trip the top of your head so it can slowly match up to the rest of your hair.
Steps
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![Step 1 Allow the hair on the back and sides of your head to grow uncut.]()
Allow the hair on the back and sides of your head to grow uncut. As stated, this will take a while. Be patient, and just let the hair on your back and sides grow until it matches up with the hair on the top of your head.[1]- The goal here is to get all of your hair the same length. This means letting the short hair grow out.
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![Step 2 Trim the hair on top of your head every 1 to 2 months to maintain length.]()
Trim the hair on top of your head every 1 to 2 months to maintain length. If you let all of your hair grow without cutting it, you'll just end up with a longer undercut. To prevent this from happening, you need to trim the hair on top of your head to maintain its length while the hair on your back and sides catches up.[2]- Regular trimming will also eliminate damage and split ends, which will keep your hair healthy and allow it to grow out more quickly.[3]
- Plan on trimming the hair 1⁄2 to 3⁄4 inch (1.3 to 1.9 cm) every month or so.
- If you are on a tight budget, trim it about 1 inch (2.5 cm) every 2 months instead.
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![Step 3 Cut your hair into your desired style once everything is the same length.]()
Cut your hair into your desired style once everything is the same length. At this point, you have a fresh start. You can cut your hair into a new style, or you can let it keep growing. Regardless, it would still be a good idea to visit a hairdresser for a trim.[4]- A hairdresser will be able to even out your hair and give you a cut that flatters your face shape.[5]
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![Step 1 Blow dry your sides down to prevent them from poofing out.]()
Blow dry your sides down to prevent them from poofing out. Wash your hair first, then pat it dry with a towel. Hold the hair dryer above your head, and aim the nozzle down at your sides as you blow dry your hair.[6]- Set the style afterwards with some hair wax.
- Add a flat, wide directional nozzle to your hairdryer to make the process more effective and give you more control over the direction of the air flow.
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![Step 2 Wash your hair every 2 to 3 days.]()
Wash your hair every 2 to 3 days. There is no need to wash it more often than that. Not only can over-washing affect the texture of your hair, but it will also remove any styling products that you applied to the sides.[7]- If you remove these styling products, the sides will poof out.
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![Step 3 Wear caps and beanies as an alternative.]()
Wear caps and beanies as an alternative. Not only can they look stylish and keep you warm during the colder months, they will also help keep down the sides and prevent them from poofing out.[8]- Make your hair look longer by parting it down the middle before you put the hat on.
- If you don't like wearing hats that much, try leaving it on for about 2 hours; after you take it off, your hair should be flatter along the sides and not so poofy.
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![Step 4 Change up the way you part your hair to conceal the sides.]()
Change up the way you part your hair to conceal the sides. Rather than combing your hair back, try a middle or side part instead. This works best when the sides are still short, but you can use this technique after you've flattened the sides with a hairdryer.[9]- If the sides of your hair are starting to get long, you can keep them flat by applying some hair gel and using the palm of your hand to smooth the gel downwards into your hair.
- Use the handle of a rat-tail comb to make the parts nice and neat.
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![Step 1 Trim the hair on top of your head to your desired length.]()
Trim the hair on top of your head to your desired length. You will still be growing out your back and sides, but since the hair on the top of your head is shorter, the overall process won't take as long. How short you cut the hair on the top of your head depends on the style you're going for. -
![Step 2 Allow the sides and back to grow until they match the top.]()
Allow the sides and back to grow until they match the top. Since you are starting with a shorter goal, this should only take about 3 to 4 months. You can stop when the sides are about 1 to 1 1⁄2 inches (2.5 to 3.8 cm) long. This will give you enough hair to work with for the final blend.[11] -
![Step 3 Blend the sides and back into the top.]()
Blend the sides and back into the top. Once the sides and back are almost the same length as the top, it's time to blend them. Run a pair of trimmers along the area where the sides and back curve into the top of your hair.[12] -
![Step 4 Trim the bottom edges of your hair to complete the cut.]()
Trim the bottom edges of your hair to complete the cut. Again, how short you go depends on what your goal style is. For example, a quiff or taper may have trimmed edges along the bottom, but a pixie may have slightly longer hair.- If you went to a hairdresser for the blending, then they will already have done this for you, based on your desired style.
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![Step 5 Style the longer part of your hair, if desired.]()
Style the longer part of your hair, if desired. Depending on what style you chose, there are lots of ways that you can go about with this. In most cases, you will need to blow dry your hair by brushing it back and upwards.- If you got a quiff, apply a volumizing mousse to your damp hair, then blow dry it upwards and back with a round brush.
- If you got a pixie, you can go as wild as you like. Blow dry shorter pixies like quiffs; blow dry longer pixies short.
- Use a little bit of styling wax or pomade to set your style.
Expert Q&A
Tips
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Hair typically grows 1⁄2 inch (1.3 cm) per month, but it could grow longer or faster depending on your genetics, lifestyle, and health. Hair health supplements like biotin can also help your hair grow out a little faster.Thanks
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There will be good hair days and bad hair days. There is little that you can do besides styling.Thanks
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Consider growing your hair out into a quiff first, then either cutting it shorter or growing it longer from there.Thanks
Things You'll Need
Growing Out the Back and Sides
- Trimmers
Styling Your Growing Hair
- Hair dryer with nozzle attachment
- Hair wax
- Cap or beanie
Growing an Undercut into a Quiff
- Trimmers
- Hair wax or pomade
- Round brush
- Hair dryer
References
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1EDW9a1nWNo&feature=youtu.be&t=55s
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1EDW9a1nWNo&feature=youtu.be&t=1m5s
- ↑ Arthur Sebastian. Professional Hair Stylist. Expert Interview. 29 April 2019.
- ↑ Arthur Sebastian. Professional Hair Stylist. Expert Interview. 29 April 2019.
- ↑ Arthur Sebastian. Professional Hair Stylist. Expert Interview. 29 April 2019.
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9i3gQ_oLKxs&feature=youtu.be&t=1m39s
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9i3gQ_oLKxs&feature=youtu.be&t=2m7s
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9i3gQ_oLKxs&feature=youtu.be&t=2m45s
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9i3gQ_oLKxs&feature=youtu.be&t=3m45s
About This Article
To grow out an undercut, let the back and sides of your hair grow uncut, and trim the hair on top of your head every 1-2 months to maintain the length. Keep in mind that it will take about 6-7 months for the hair on the back and sides of your head to be the same length as the top of your hair. In the meantime, try a middle or side part to cover up the sides so they don't look as short. For more tips from our Cosmetology co-author, like how to grow an undercut into a new haircut, scroll down!
