If you’re starting to go bald or have thinning hair on top, it may be time to consider a new look. While only the luckiest guys don’t have to worry about male pattern baldness, some haircuts can hide or cover up your bald spots.
Whether you have a receding hairline or thinning hair all over, these hairstyles for balding men can offer stylish and classy choices. From short haircuts like the buzz cut and crew cut to a fade on the sides and back with longer hair that is combed over or slicked back, choosing the right haircut styles is a daunting task.
For inspiration, here are the most popular bald haircuts for guys with thinning hair.
Haircuts For Balding Men
Buzz Cut
The buzz cut is one of the best short haircuts for balding men. A fully shaved head can be daunting if you don’t know how you will look without any hair. A buzz cut is a perfect combination of short with a little bit of growth. Ask your barber for a buzz cut fade so the sides and back are tapered.
It looks very masculine, and suits men whose hair is starting to recede at the crown rather than the front. However, if your hair is thin around the hairline, a buzzed cut is effective at bringing attention back to your face and away from your hair loss. A buzz cut is simple to do yourself at home as long as you have good clippers.
Crew Cut
For men who want to keep their hair a little longer than a buzzed haircut, the crew cut is a great hairstyle to get. If you’re balding, crew cut haircuts are great at drawing attention away from a receding hairline or widow’s peak. This short hairstyle is often paired with a fade or undercut on the sides and back, and can be tapered down to the skin for a high-contrast finish.
Because it’s a short cut all around, you can leave it longer on top and still maintain a trendy style. Men who love this style are often the guys who experience hair loss from a young age.
Bald Head
The shaved bald head has always been one of the most popular bald haircuts for men. Don’t worry about sporting a fully bald head because it’s a distinguished and stylish way to maintain your masculine edge. Plus, you get the added benefit of not having to worry about the appearance of your hair since there is no styling required. If you’re wondering whether this cut is for you, it’s important to understand how your hair is thinning.
A shaved head is best for guys who have a patchy hairline, a balding crown and thinning hair all over. You can pair a razor shave with a beard for extra texture and to channel attention to your face. Save money and invest in a balding clipper to cut your own hair at home anytime you want.
Fade Haircut
The fade haircut is a stylish and practical choice for men with thin or thinning hair to minimize attention to their bald spots. There are many different types of fades to get that will make your hair on top look fuller and thicker. Guys can choose from a high, mid, and low fade, and then tailor the cut with a skin, bald, drop, burst, or taper.
Whether you have a receding hairline, thinning hair on your crown, or just semi-bald at the moment, there is a cool faded hairstyle that will look trendy and work with your hair type. From the comb over to the slick back, ask your barber about the right taper fade haircuts for your look!
Ivy League
The Ivy League hairstyle requires volume for a classy look you can wear anywhere. Ideal for guys whose hair is thick but receding slightly at the front, the Ivy League starts with short sides and short hair on top. Although the length is slightly longer than a traditional crew cut, the hair in front is brushed up and swept to the side.
A favorite of Ryan Reynolds and Ryan Gosling, you’ll want to apply wax to the fringe when parting it to the sides. Do the same with the hair on top for a modern style that will make your thinning hair less noticeable by adding thickness and texture.
Short Sides Long Hair on Top
Short hair on the sides with longer hair on top can be the perfect hairstyle for balding men. Whether you want a taper, fade, or undercut on the sides and back, short haircuts can blend the transition from hair to no hair in your hairline.
While longer styles can be problematic if you were born with thin hair, medium length to long hairstyles can be styled to cover bald spots. To make your hair look full, you’ll want to use a matte styling product for a textured finish.
Slicked Back Hair
Slicked back hair is a classic men’s hairstyle that’s recently be paired with the undercut to create a modern style. cool and edgy, gentleman today get a short cut on the sides and then use pomade to comb back their hair, taking the attention away from their receding hairline and even covering up their crown.
The slick back hairstyle does this by clumping your hair together to add volume in all the right places, and it’s a pretty easy style to achieve as you only need a comb and strong styling product. Finish off with a touch of hairspray to keep it in place, especially if it’s windy or your hair has a mind of its own. Be careful not to use too much product in your hair as it will appear greasy and unflattering.
Comb Over
The most iconic haircut for balding men is the comb over. Using the fringe as the base, a comb over allows you to add weight to your look by incorporating all of your hair. As a result, it’s an excellent choice for guys whose hair is thick or thin.
The key is to ensure it’s a little longer at the front so that you have something to work with when you style it. Only use a small amount of wax to add more volume, then sweep or comb everything to one side. Set with hairspray. If you’re experiencing significant hair loss, don’t try a comb over and think you’ll fool anyone.
Quiff with Taper Fade
The combination of a quiff with a taper fade ensures there’s a nice contrast between the front and sides of your hair. This makes it appear as if you have more hair on top, and is precisely the style balding men want. You can do the same with a pompadour.
Similar to the comb over, you need more length on the top for this cut to work. When men get it right, not only do they look more attractive, but the quiff takes years from your face. A quiff incorporates a distinguished quality that you’ll love.
High and Tight
What a high and tight cut lacks in versatility, it makes up for by being low-maintenance, functional, and easy to style. As a military-style haircut, the high and tight fade is short and simple all over, but sexy with a rugged look. The cut is often paired with a high skin fade on the sides and back to hide bald spots.
The very short cut blends the sides and top, and then focuses the attention on the short hairstyle above so that your receding hairline isn’t the focal point. As your top hair thins, you can shave the sides and trim the top even shorter. It’s a robust choice for masculine guys who want to hide male pattern baldness anywhere on the head.
Skin Fade with Short Hair
A skin fade and short hair combo is a modern trend that younger guys love. The sides, while short, allow for a thicker crop of hair on the top, making it perfect for styling. Therefore, you get a lot more versatility with this cut than others on this list.
Also, it’s an edgy aesthetic that is a fantastic option for guys who want to stand out for the right reasons. Because it’s a contemporary style, it will make you look younger. All of these features mean it works best on guys who have recently started balding.
Slicked Back Hair
Try the slick back comb over if you fancy a formal cut that demands respect. As well as being modern and making you appear younger, the style’s swept-back nature means that your facial features will be more defined. This has the effect of making your face chiseled as your best features like your eyes and jawline dominate your look.
Men with a widow’s peak or a receding front hairline can slick it back for the ultimate look. If you usually prefer a comb over, you can mix up your style for a formal occasion with this slick back version.
Faux Hawk
The faux hawk can be a great cut and style if you want to incorporate your receding hairline into your hairstyle. A faux hawk is a challenging haircut because too much length on top will make your thinning hair seem wispy. Still, as long as it is relatively short, the style will create an incredible contrast that will make you appear bolder and more daring.
Also known as a fohawk, this hairstyle is often paired with a short fade or undercut on the sides. Another reason men love the faux hawk is that there are several options for the sides. You can either slick it back if you prefer some growth or spike it up if you have thicker hair.
Butch Cut
Although the name isn’t appealing, the style is as this uniform cut hides receding front hairlines. It does this by cropping your hair to about a quarter of an inch of its usual length all around your head.
By following your head’s contours, the hair falls naturally to the front, giving it a very natural appearance and ensuring any bald spots are barely visible. Due to the unwavering style of this hairstyle, your hair will be clean-cut and benefit from a boost of masculinity thanks to its short nature.
Short and Messy
Short and messy is usually called the “fresh out of bed” look in most circles. The messiness of your hair incorporates texture to your style, and you can use this to hide a receding hairline by pulling it forward. Appearing disheveled may not be your first choice, yet it’s very classy and flattering when the hair isn’t long.
Plus, it’s super easy to acquire because you want to appear as if you’ve just got out of bed, but with a touch of elegance. Dry your hair and then grab a towel and some pomade. Apply the wax to your hair and massage it with the towel to add textured messiness.
Pompadour Fade
The pompadour fade continues to be a strong men’s hair trend in barber shops all over the world. The pompadour hairstyle may require some styling, but the result is a stylish look everyone will appreciate. Combine your short pomp in the front with a taper fade on the sides and back to get a versatile cut.
Use a matte pomade, wax or clay for a textured hairstyle that will thicken your hair. Soft and natural, the style is flattering for all hair types, including men with fine hair.
Regulation Cut
Unlike the majority of military hairstyles, the regulation cut gives men longer hair on top to style in different ways. By incorporating your hairline, the regulation haircut makes thinning hair and your receding hairline less prominent. Like most popular haircuts for men, the sides are short while the hair on top is kept longer and often sweeps to one side.
However, the hair is kept much tighter to create a parting that adds contrast and texture. Since there is longer length hair on the top, unlike a buzz cut or a high and tight, you have styling options to help switch up your look.
Popular Haircuts For Men with Thin Hair
From a messy crop top fade to a slicked back undercut, the most popular haircuts for men with thin hair start with a short crop on the sides and back. Ideally, a taper fade will maximize your styling options and keep the look simple and low-maintenance.
While you may think a short hairstyle is a good choice, short thin hair makes it easy to see your scalp, thereby bringing attention to your thinning top. Instead, you’ll want to grow out your hair to get a medium length to longer hairstyle. Handsome and fashionable, haircut styles like the comb over, quiff, brush back, textured spikes, and messy fringe offer volume for a thicker look.
Stubble or a full beard can also provide a rugged finish and draw attention to your manly facial features. Lastly, thin hair men will need to start using the right hair products. From shampoo to conditioner to pomade, good hair care is critical when treating hair loss.