Bald Fade: The Best Modern Styles, and How to Cut Them (2024)

Co-authored byLuke Smith, MFA

Last Updated: April 22, 2024Fact Checked

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1. A bald fade transitions gradually from hair on top to bare skin below. A “fade” features hair that gets shorter as it travels down the head. A “bald fade” gets so short that it becomes bare skin, making for a clean and modern look.^[1]

   • A “skin fade” is the same thing as a bald fade, and the terms are used interchangeably.

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1. 1

   Low, mid, and high bald fades A high fade tapers to short hair high on the head, a low fade sits low, and a mid fade happens somewhere between them.^[2] These are probably the most important distinctions to make when asking for a fade.

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   Bald taper fade A “taper” refers to the actual hair that gets shorter, while a “fade” refers to the hair blending to skin.^[3] A taper fade combines the two for a clean and sensible style that usually fades low and leaves plenty of hair on top.^[4]

   See Also

   Guide to Haircut Length Numbers | Cutters YardEssential Guide to Fade Haircuts 2022: What To Tell Your Barber and How to Style ThemBurst Fade vs. Drop Fade: Your Guide | Cutters YardA Guide To The Number 3 And Number 4 With Fades - Natural Selection London

   • Be aware that some barbers might say that a “taper fade” is the same as a fade. Opinion tends to differ.
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   Bald drop fade With a bald drop fade, the fade starts above the ear and dips low at the back of the head, forming an arc.^[5] It’s a dynamic and well-rounded look.

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   Burst fade Similar to a drop fade, a burst fade tapers to skin in a circle around the ear, and goes great with mohawks or mullets.^[6]

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   Temple fade A fade that starts around the temples, making the face look longer (so it’s great for round faces) and shifting focus to styled hair on top.^[7]

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   Messy or curly bald fades These styles leave lots of hair on top, which is usually mussed up or left fairly unstyled for a casual, easy look.^[8]

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   Coiffed or styled bald fades A coiffed fade has hair that’s usually combed to the side on top, while a styled fade is any fade that has hair styled in any particular way.^[9] They’re often balanced looks that allow for lots of freedom.

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   Natural and hard-parted bald fades A naturally parted fade features hair that parts along its natural grain. For a hard-parted fade, a line is trimmed into the scalp to separate hair patterns, making for a bolder style.^[10]

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   Etched bald fade A shaved-in design or “etching” along the side of the head adds a bit of interest and creativity to any fade.^[11] Just know that they take regular maintenance to keep the design sharp.

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    French crop or Caesar bald fades A French crop has a hard-edged fringe of longer hair just above the fade. On a Caesar cut, that fringe extends across the forehead into short bangs.^[12]

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    Colored fade A colored fade goes the extra mile, with dyed or bleached hair on top that emphasizes the transition to bare skin.

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    Bald-faded undercut This style keeps the hair extra long on top and extremely short around the sides. It’s an edgy and alternative look.

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    Structured-top bald fade This style covers everything from pompadours to flat-top ‘fros. Here, the bald fade is just a foundation for what’s happening on top, which usually involves lots of gel.^[13]

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1. 1

   Use trimmers to cut a bald line from one temple to the other. To cut a fade, first shave a straight, even line around the back of the head about a finger’s width above the ear, from one temple to the other.^[14]

   • After, shave everything below the line to establish the “bald” portion in the “bald fade.”
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   See Also

   Bald Fade vs Skin Fade: Understanding the Key Differences

   Trim 1in (2.5cm) of hair above the bald line with a 0 guard. Use your shortest clipper guard and make upward, flicking motions to trim a strip of hair about 0.75–1in (1.9–2.5cm) wide just above the bald line, all the way around.^[15]

   • If you’re using adjustable clippers, set them so that the clipper lever is all the way open.
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   Trim 2 more strips above the last with a 1 guard and a 2 guard. Attach a size-1 clipper guard and trim 0.75–1in (1.9–2.5cm) above the 0-guard area. Do the same with a 2-guard right above that.^[16]

   • Trim all the way around the head, so that it looks like the hair is shortening in “steps.”
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   Blend the fade by trimming along the lines with half-step guards. Use a 1.5 guard to lightly trim along the line between the 2-guard strip and the 1-guard strip. Do the same with 0.5 guard along the line between the 1-guard strip and the 0-guard strip.

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   Clean up the fade using the corner of the clippers. Go back along the lines with the appropriate guard or lever setting, using only the corner of the clippers and careful flicking motions to blend the fade so that the transitions are seamless.^[17]

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