How to hold hairdressing scissors correctly and its importance

In the hairdressing industry, whether you are an experienced hairdresser or just starting out in the hair industry or profession, it is important to understand the basics of handling in the best way possible your main working tool: the scissors. Holding your scissors correctly is fundamental to providing accurate and precise haircuts that will make your clients happy with your work and encourage them to come back to you as their right-hand salon in managing their style. Let's go over the basics of how to best hold hairdressing scissors. 

Grip and pressure 

The grip of hairdressing scissors is as important as their use. When holding the scissors, make sure your thumb is on top and your index finger is on the bottom. This classic grip ensures maximum control over the scissors and allows for a more precise cut. Make sure your fingers are comfortable and that you have a good, secure grip when working with scissors. Keep in mind that the important thing is not to allow slippage, so the grip should be firm, but you should not have tension when cutting hair.   

Using too much pressure when cutting can cause split ends or even damage the follicles, which can be a cause serious damage to the hair. Therefore, it is important not to exert too much pressure when using scissors and instead, rely on a careful and precise technique and the leverage of the blade itself, rather than pushing down hard. In summary, don't try to "push" the cut, but "move" it gently and precisely to get the best results.  

An important topic worth noting is that taking care of the tension of the scissors will also allow you to make precise haircuts without too much pressure neither on the cut nor on your body. 

The angle and the wrist 

The key here is your wrist, keeping it straight helps you to keep your hand steady while using the hairdressing scissors which should remain at a 45-degree angle in relation to the strand being cut. Failure to maintain this angle and keep your wrist straight may result in uneven cuts or unnecessary damage to the hair. To ensure a perfect angle when working with scissors, practice cutting strands of paper or cloth until you get the feel. This will help you develop muscle memory so that proper angles become second nature when using hairdressing scissors.  

Maintain an ergonomic posture when cutting hair  

It is also important to maintain an ergonomic posture when cutting hair with hairdressing scissors. This means keeping your back straight, shoulders dropped and elbows close to your body while working with the scissors. Maintaining an ergonomic posture helps to reduce fatigue when cutting hair, which can prevent mistakes from occurring due to exhaustion or strain on the body from bending over for long periods of time. It also helps to improve circulation throughout the body, preventing cramps or numbness in the hands and arms that can lead to inaccurate cuts with hairdressing scissors.   

Learning how to hold hairdressing scissors correctly is essential for any hairdresser who wants to provide accurate and precise cuts for their clients every time they use them. Taking the time to understand proper gripping techniques, keeping the wrist straight during haircuts and maintaining an ergonomic posture on both fingers and body are key components to using these tools safely and accurately so that clients are always satisfied with their haircut. 

For all these reasons, at Leaf scissors you will get scissors designed by and for hairdressers. Taking all these previously explained factors into account, in the Black Edition line where you will find top quality hairdressing scissors designed to suit all hairdressers, regardless of their level of experience. Thanks to their balanced, ergonomic design, the scissors feel like an extension of the hand and allow you to explore your creativity with freedom and expression. 

You can get the Black Edition line in two ways which you can see by clicking here and you can also see other products for your salon that will surely help you to become better and better at what you do. Don't miss out on this opportunity and check out our full range here.