If you ask my opinion, the worst kind of haircut is a bad combover. I can’t stand them, especially when there’s just a strip of stringy, oily hair that only manages to cover half a bald spot. But apparently, combovers are cut on purpose, so I guess they can’t really be included in this article.

A ‘bad haircut’ means a haircut that you may or may not have asked for. Either way, once it was cut, you looked in horror at your reflection in the mirror and wished you could press Control-Z on the last half-hour of your life. Thankfully, your hair will grow back. But until then, what can you do to save the disaster that is your haircut?

Hair Cut Too Short

Uneven haircut.

This is probably the most common ‘bad haircut’ that people get. If you’ve never gotten a haircut that was too short, I’d love to meet you; you can tell me your tips. For most of us though, we’ve all gotten a haircut that has been too short. Maybe you weren’t explicit enough about the length. (I once read a story about a girl who wanted bangs “over her eyebrows”. She had meant long bangs that covered her eyebrows. Her hairdresser understood ‘over’ to mean ‘above’ her eyebrows. She was not impressed.)

Maybe you thought something would look good on you, but it turns out it really doesn’t. Maybe your hairdresser doesn’t speak your language or is especially scissor-happy. Whatever the case may be, too-short hair can be devastating.

If that is what’s leaving you in a bad mood after visiting the salon, there’s a simple solution: buy hair extensions! There are really good quality extensions out there that blend beautifully into your hair – and more importantly, give you that extra length. You can also buy them in different colors, so it looks like you got a nice balayage in your hair.

Alternatively, why not research cute hairstyles for short hair? While it might not have been what you originally had in mind, there are loads of beautiful hairstyles out there that work well with short hair. And who knows? You might like your new look so much that you’ll end up requesting that length from now on!

Uneven Layers/Cutting

Again, if you’ve never seen anyone with uneven layers, I really need to meet you, because I can’t say the same. Now, if your hair is super curly, uneven layers might not matter all that much. But if your hair is straight, or ironed regularly, you have a problem. (Don’t tell me you’ve never cringed when you’ve seen someone with one or more clumps of hair that are just that bit longer than the rest of their hair.)

While your haircut might have left you with a permanent or temporary fear of hairdressers, I’d suggest you try to get over it. Because the best way to fix up uneven layers is to get a skilled hairdresser to even them out for you. Yes, to get another haircut. (You may want to use a different hairdresser this time around.) You can also hide bad layers by wearing your hair in a bun or braid.

Too Short Front Layers

Woman checking hair cut.

Have you ever gotten a haircut where the top layers are just too short? If you’re the kind who likes to wear her hair tied back, this can be annoying. If your front layers were accidentally cut too short, try wearing your hair higher than you usually do. This may allow them to reach into your ponytail. If they really don’t fit, why not try asking your hairdresser to cut you bangs? Besides getting rid of the initial problem, you now have a new look! If you’re young enough to pull off a hairband, that could also work to keep those short layers back.

Too Long Layers

Because I had gotten too short layers that didn’t fit in my pony by my previous haircut, I kept stressing to the hairdresser that I wanted long layers. Well, it sort of worked – she certainly didn’t cut my layers too short again. However, she cut the layers so close to the tips of my hair that you could barely see them at all. When your hair doesn’t have a lot of body to begin with and kind of relies on layers to give it some life, too-long layers can also be a bad haircut.

Still, there are some easy solutions. Firstly, of course, you can always get some shorter layers added in. If that’s beyond your budget, however, or if you don’t feel comfortable asking the hairdresser to cut some more, there are other options. Again, do your research. There are loads of hairstyles that look great without layers – much better, in fact! For example, braids. When I had short layers, they would stick out all over the place whenever I braided my hair. With long layers, however, your braids will sit nice and flat.

Too Long At The Front And Too Short At The Back

Woman with hair scissors.

I got this haircut because my hairdresser cut the back of my hair far too short (yes, I should probably change hairdressers). I panicked and asked her to continue cutting longer. So, she cut the front of my hair longer than the back, just like I asked. Don’t ask for this. Just don’t.

Anyway, an easy way to fix too-long at the front and too-short at the back is to help get them an even length. You could choose to wear hair extensions at the back so it’s level with your front. Or, if the difference is slight, you could try pinning your hair back, so it appears shorter. If all else fails, wear it in a hairstyle that conceals the length difference, like a messy bun.

Conclusion

Bad haircuts, like running out of hot water or catching strep, are one of those unfortunate but inevitable parts of life. They’re certainly distressing at the time but keep calm. You’re not in high school anymore, and that makes it easier to deal with a bad haircut. Plus, your hair will grow back, and you can fix up those layers/that length soon enough. But for the meantime, there are ways to fix your bad cut. It might take a little imagination or a bit more snipping, but you’ll soon be looking even better than you did to begin with!