A man cutting the hair on the back of his head with a Wahl clipper.

Sections of the Head for Haircuts

When it comes to cutting your own hair, it's easiest to divide the process into sections. Our haircutting tutorials reference four sections of the head. Familiarize yourself with the different sections to help you get the job done well.

The Four Sections of the Head for Haircutting

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    Our haircut videos and how-to articles reference different sections of the head for haircutting. The video above and the head diagram infographic below identify the four key sections. They are:

    Section 1: Back of the neck. (Sometimes referred to as the nape.)

    Section 2: Under the rim of the head. (Sometimes referred to as under the crown.)

    Section 3: Rim of the head. (Sometimes referred to as the crown.)

    Section 4: Top of the head.

    Infographic showing the sections of the head for cutting your own hair.

What to use

Elite Pro™ High Performance Hair Clipper Kit

Elite Pro™ High Performance Hair Clipper Kit

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Lithium Pro® Hair Clipper and Trimmer Kit

Lithium Pro® Hair Clipper and Trimmer Kit

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Deluxe Chrome Pro® Haircutting Kit with Trimmer

Deluxe Chrome Pro® Haircutting Kit with Trimmer

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Color Pro® Hair Clipper Kit 79300-1001

Color Pro® Hair Clipper Kit 79300-1001

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Clip 'N Trim® Hair Clipper with Built-in Trimmer

Clip 'N Trim® Hair Clipper with Built-in Trimmer

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Need help deciding what you need?

Having the right tool for the job can make all the difference when it comes to at-home haircutting.

Product Selectors

Tips for the Perfect Self Haircut

Choosing the Right Guide Comb

A Wahl hair clipper and selection of guide combs for haircutting.

Guide combs attach to the clipper and are designed to cut hair at a certain length. The smaller the number, the shorter the cut. The larger the number, the longer the hair will be. Remember, you can always cut off more hair, but you can’t add hair, so start off with a larger guide comb if you’re unsure.

Related Videos

How & Why to Use Wahl Clipper Guide Combs

Clipper Guide Combs