Which Curly Hair-Cutting Method Is Right For You?

Most people with curly hair have a hair-cutting horror story (or two, or three). Finding a salon that can both cut and style coils is like apartment-hunting in New York City: long, arduous, and with limited options. You see, cutting naturally spiraling locks is 40% art, 40% science, and 20% talent. It's not like taking scissors to a head of straight strands, when you can simply line up the edges and make sure everything's even — each curl has its own independent personality.

Not all stylists have mastered this skill (ditto on taking care of curly hair in general). But those who have attained it are developing their own unique methods. These are techniques learned through years of studying and working with countless natural and curly-adorned ladies and gents. The approaches vary: There's the group that cuts it wet, some who prefer dry-cutting, and others who swear by first blowing curly hair straight in order to get the desired results.

Which technique reigns supreme? There's no cut-and-dried answer. It depends on your personal preference — so you have to be the judge on that one. To help you weigh the options, we asked three stylists to make the case for their preferred method.