For both males and females, side hair can be a cause of significant frustration. The top of the head may look great, but the sides frequently refuse to cooperate. So, how do you get hair that sticks out on the sides to lie flat?
Trimming, thinning, and even growing side hair longer are all options for flattening side hair. Hair products and tools that are appropriate for the specific hair type being flattened can also be useful.
Continue reading to learn more about the age-old problem of side hair. It’s crucial to understand what causes it in the first place before understanding how to remedy it in seven distinct ways.
Why Does Hair Sticks Out On The Side?
![Why Does Hair Sticks Out On The Side?](https://wrinky.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Untitled-design-2022-07-05T234611.013.jpg)
Hair that isn’t quite long enough to hang down and rest flat often sticks out on the sides after it reaches a medium length.
However, this hair is far too long and thick to keep flat on the sides without care. Men/women whose hair is thick or has a rough texture often have side hair like this.
When I put my hair up after an hour or two, I have all these small hairs sticking out on the side, according to the majority of wrinkled clients. No one else’s hair appears to have this effect. Because I don’t have layers, just side bangs, and half of this short hair is on the opposite side of my side bangs, I’m not sure how I got all these little strands.
I also have these retarded sideburns growing in (not like a boy’s, but hair sprouting out of right around my ears), which I believe are some of the hairs that stick out when my hair is up.
They’re constantly frizzing and everywhere, and they ruin my hair when it’s down because they’re just ‘ugh!’ What can I do about these, as well as the fact that when my hair is up, it sticks out everywhere? What’s the best way to get rid of frizzy hair? Shampoos, conditioners, and anti-frizz serum have all been tried.
Wrinky’s Answer: It sounds like your problem is caused by a few hairs that are shorter than the rest, rather than “frizz.” These shorter hairs could be a result of the hairs’ natural growth cycles.
Individual hairs that are shorter than the typical length of your hair are likely to exist (particularly when the hair is cut to one length). They could also be the result of style damage causing breakage. Whatever the cause, the issue is widespread.
One thing to keep in mind is that you must properly care for your hair. Using a protein-rich shampoo and conditioner, as well as an anti-frizz or smoothing shampoo and conditioner, will help give your hair the smooth cuticle and healthy condition it needs to avoid problems like frizz and breakage.
Once you’ve established that you’re maintaining your hair as healthy as possible, you’ll need to address the specific concerns you’re having and try to achieve the look you want. When planning to put your hair up, for example, start with freshly washed hair and apply styling products to towel-dried hair, only drying your hair until it is largely dry (still slightly damp). Then, as desired, put your hair up in a twist, bun, or ponytail. To smooth the hairs, use an angle fine-tooth comb or the edge of a bristle brush, mist the hair with hairspray, and gently massage the hair to smooth any stray hairs.
Keep a tiny can or bottle of hairspray in your purse to “touch-up” your look throughout the day. When using a strong-hold styling gel, you may be able to restore the smooth look of your style by lightly misting the hair with leave-in conditioner and patting down stray hairs. Many fly-away hairs occur as the hair dries out over the day, especially if the hair is already dry and in need of additional moisture.
Most product makers offer a number of formulae for all hair types, so choosing the right products to cure your hair problems is primarily a matter of personal preference. Many of my clients, on the other hand, have raved about the results they’ve gotten from SunSilk’s new product range.
How to Flatten Hair on the Sides of Your Head in 7 Easy Steps
Side hair that protrudes can be tamed, but it will require some upkeep. It won’t be anything elaborate or time-consuming, but it won’t happen on its own.
Here are a few simple ideas to get you started.
1. Use a brush with boar’s bristles.
![How do I stop the sides of my hair sticking out](https://wrinky.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Untitled-design-2022-07-06T000401.359.jpg)
Hair brushes made of boar bristles are excellent for training your hair to grow in the right direction. If you use it on a regular basis, you’ll find that your side hair will lie straighter and flatter.
If you don’t have thick hair, this basic grooming tool should be enough to get rid of your puffy side hair.
However, if you have really thick hair, you may find that a boar bristle brush’s bristles are too thin.
You might be better off using a comb with wider tooth spacing.
The point is that the equipment you use to flatten your side hair should be appropriate for the thickness of your hair. That will have a significant impact on whether or not it works.
It’s ideal to use the comb while your hair is still moist if you don’t apply any product. It will make it easier for the teeth to slide through and perform their job.
When it comes to detangling, combs are preferable to brushes. Side hair that is tangled will constantly appear bloated.
I’ll wrap up by adding that your hair on both sides of your head may grow in distinct directions.
One side may grow (nearly) backward while the other grows downward, for example. Although it may be tempting to urge both sides of your hair to lie in the same direction, your hair will appear nicer and flatter if you comb each side in the general direction in which it grows.
2. Increase the length of your hair
Remember when I said it wasn’t going to fix itself? The only exception is this.
Allowing your hair to grow out can provide enough weight for your side hair to finally hang down and rest flat.
However, you’ll have to cope with the side hair growing even thicker until it’s heavy enough to lay flat.
As I mentioned previously, brushing and combing during this difficult phase will assist.
Despite growing it longer, very thick, textured, or curly side hair may simply continue to poke out. In this scenario, it might be prudent to use a different flattening technique.
3. Keep the side hairs trimmed on a regular basis.
If you don’t want to bother with growing your hair out or fighting with your unattractive sides, you can always have them trimmed short so that they don’t stick out.
Going to a barber and having your sides trimmed or tapered is entirely normal. If you don’t want your hair fully trimmed short, you can leave it longer on top.
Many men, on the other hand, may believe that this is a waste of money. That’s all right. A better choice is to do it yourself.
It can be intimidating the first time you do it, but it’s nothing to be afraid of. Trim the sides of your hair with a pair of hair clippers anytime you notice them puffing up.
It’s the simplest and most successful approach to flattening side hair in many respects, although men are initially hesitant to do it themselves.
It’s not a huge deal at all. If you’re not sure what length to set it to, start with the longest clipper guard available and work your way down.
4. Use a Concentrator Nozzle on a Blow Dryer
![How to Flatten Hair on the Sides of Your Head](https://wrinky.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Untitled-design-2022-07-05T235256.103.jpg)
Hair dryers are excellent for both drying and volumizing hair. They’re fantastic for bringing a style to life and giving it a sense of richness.
But what if “fullness” is the last thing on your mind, as it is with side hair that is already protruding? Isn’t it true that a blow dryer would be useless?
That’s not entirely true. Blow dryers are also useful for removing fullness from areas where you don’t want it. Negative pressure can be used to flatten the hair you want to flatten.
Blow the side hair down with a medium heat setting, pressing it firmly into place.
A concentrator nozzle is a thin attachment that you install on the end of most blow dryers. This focuses and concentrates all the air on certain parts of your hair, making it much easier to be very accurate.
If you try it on your side hair, you’ll most likely be pleased with the results.
By the way, flattening the hair at the top and back using a blow dryer (along with some of the other recommendations in this piece) is also possible.
5. Make use of a pair of thinning scissors.
Thinning out the hair on the sides of your head will help to flatten it.
You can either have your barber do it or do it yourself using thinning scissors.
The blades of thinning scissors have comb-like teeth in them. To utilize them, hold them parallel to your side hair and cut with the blades facing the sky. As a result, the excess thickness should be removed, allowing your hair to sit flat on the sides.
It’s an excellent way to reduce puffiness without losing length. Try thinning your side hair if you’re comfortable with the length but want it to look less full.
After you’ve thinned the hair that’s left behind, you’ll notice that it has more room and is less prone to sticking out.
6. Apply a strong-hold clay.
![Apply a strong-hold clay](https://wrinky.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Untitled-design-2022-07-05T235538.023.jpg)
If you don’t want to change your hairdo or have your sides trimmed, you can use clay to flatten the hair on the sides of your head.
Clay has an excellent grip, which is why I chose it over creams, waxes, and other similar products.
Hair clay adds weight to thick hair, allowing it to be styled in a more flattened manner. Clay has a matte finish, which gives it a natural appearance.
Choose a high-hold pomade instead if you want a glossy finish. Keep in mind that clay normally has a greater hold than pomade, so if you’re having trouble with pomade, try clay instead.
Finally, it’s a quick and painless way to deal with a side hair flyaway that doesn’t include a trip to the barbershop.
7. Apply hair gel or hairspray to your hair.
I’ve combined these two because they’re quick, simple, and inexpensive.
Gels or hair sprays may be a better alternative if you don’t like putting more textured products like clays and pomades into your hair, or if you think they’re too pricey.
If you just want a little more hold once your side hair is in place, hairspray is also a good option after you’ve applied some clay or pomade.
It’s crucial to keep in mind that both gels and hairsprays have a hard drying time. To put it another way, once they’ve been set, they’ve been set. You won’t be able to change their appearance.
If you’re interested, here’s a quick tutorial on how to apply hairspray.
This is beneficial in many ways since the flattened side hair will remain flat. However, if you add gel or hairspray to a few flyaway side hairs that aren’t visible, you’ll effectively lock them into place.
If you want to restyle it, you’ll probably need to dampen it with a wet comb or moist fingertips. It’s not the end of the world, but it’s inconvenient.
Conclusion
That is all there is to it. There are seven simple solutions to this never-ending hair problem. You’re unlikely to find all of them useful for your particular hair type. However, it’s worthwhile to test them all out because there’s a good possibility that one or two of them will be precisely what you’re looking for.