Cutting the Curls

Updated on February 05, 2010
C.A. asks from Holiday, FL
11 answers

My daughter is 2 and has curly hair. It seems as it is getting longer the top of her head isn't curly any more it is just the bottom half. Her hair is looking uneven so I feel she needs a trim but I am so scared she is going to loose her curls. Any experience with cutting curls for the first time? Should I expect to loose her curls? Just wondering maybe if I only cut a tiny bit.

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T.S.

answers from Orlando on

Let me refer you to this website, which is all about naturally curly hair and how to keep it at it's best. There is a forum specifically for parents of curly kids.

At this site you can identify what curl type your child has ( or ask someone there) and make a guess at what may happen to her hair and how to minimize the curl loss from a cut.

www.naturallycurly.com

just go to the curl talk forums, hope that helps!

1 mom found this helpful

A.L.

answers from Ocala on

curly hair happens from the inside of the body, so unless you were to use a chemical (which your not gonna do:)) to straighten her hair, a good trim/cut is going to HELP her beautiful locks!

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E.B.

answers from Denver on

I'm not exactly sure but my best friend is a hair stylist and owner of a hair salon. I asked her this same question because my daughter also has curly hair and we have been experiencing the same thing. She advised me to wait as long as possible before cutting it if we wanted to keep the curls. She said the longer you wait to cut it, the curlier it will stay. You may be ok, though if you just take a tiny bit off.

Right now our daughter is sporting a real baby mullet. We have been putting it in pigtails to keep the hair out of her eyes and to keep the mullet look away. Her hair is sooooo curly right after a bath, even on top. After she sleeps on it, though, it softens up and looks like what you describe. A little water or detangler helps the curls spring back and tames the mullet look. The ringlets also make her hair look a whole lot shorter than it really is.

If you do decide to cut her hair, I would strongly recommend having a professional do it. There are a lot of fun, kid-focused hair places that specialize in first haircuts.They might be able to give you good advice on how to cut it, what her hair type is (or could be) and what to expect in the future with her curls.

Good luck!

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S.S.

answers from Dallas on

In my experience with curly hair, it can be very curly when little, then straighten out to waves as the child gets older. Then when puberty hits WHAM, you must then learn what to do with the mess of curls.

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J.M.

answers from Orlando on

I had this happen with one of mine,and yes, she did lose the curls when I cut. It just grew in straight. I have another in the same boat right now. Sometimes it's just life... take a bunch of pictures of those cute curls so you can remember them and then cut it when it needs to be cut. I think we'll keep ours a while more. She is 2 1/2, and still only has some uneven hair about down to the base of her ears. We just don't grow much hair in our family! Good luck!

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J.J.

answers from Tallahassee on

Hi Carrie,

It is very common for babies and toddlers to have curly hair in the beginning. But underneath that fine, baby growth, they will have "normal" hair. Obviously some people keep their curls for life, but if you can already see that the new growth is not curly, then I think that's your answer. I didn't cut my daughters hair until she was 3 - because I wanted to keep the curls as long as I could. Today, after several trims, her hair is straight as a board BUT it has thickened beautifully. Just yesterday at our salon I was told she looks like a Barbie, "All that thick, long, straight hair on such a little body, oh, she is beautiful." So, your baby will start to look more like a big girl with the cut, but unfortunately we can't stop that from happening anyway. :)

Keep a lock of her hair when you snip for a scrap book, or just to have. :)

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L.W.

answers from Miami on

It's all down to genetics, cutting it has no effect on how it will grow in. If you want to enjoy the curls for awhile just trim it, but eventually the curls will be gone if her hair is going to be straight. Three of my children had super curly hair. The older two's hair grew in straight as they got older, and eventually trimming took my daughter's last curls. I cried, honestly. So I know how you feel. My third never lost his curls. I shave his head each summer and they come back as it gets longer.

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J.S.

answers from Sarasota on

Carrie,

I had the same experience. I waited until my daughter was 4 to cut her hair. I didn't want her to loose her beautiful ringlets. Her hair was straight all the way through except for 4 inches on the bottom. Her hair got soooo long I just had to cut it. The curls unfortunately, did not come back. She has really thick hair though. I don't know if it's the same for everyone's hair type.

V.C.

answers from Dallas on

Carrie,
I didn't cut my son's hair until he was 13 months because of the beautiful curls. He is 15 now and it is still curly if he lets it grow out.
Hopefully you daughter will still have curls, too.
Victoria

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K.M.

answers from Fort Myers on

My daughter is also 2, and I had been feeling the urge to give her a trim, her hair is fine and straight though, but I am resisting b/c she can't go back once I cut it. I've just trimmed her bangs a lil bit, which as it is makes her look older! I figured maybe when she's 3 I will take her to a children's salon and make it a BIG, special day!! :) Keep those cute curls! :) for a bit longer anyways...

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N.I.

answers from Daytona Beach on

Hi Carrie!
When my boy turned 2 I took him to a child place to cut his beautiful curls (at this point they were getting too long and crazy) and after that don't know why but he did loose his curls, his hair became really thick, especially in the top. But since he is a boy I kept keeping it short, no I don't know anymore if he will get them back or not, until he becomes a teenager and goes through "the phase" that he wants to keep it long. But I guess the only way you will find out is by cutting or not, but try just trimming a little bit first and then go from there. Good luck!

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