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There’s no single best hairstyle for balding men. After all, your ideal cut varies according to your face shape, personality, and hair volume. Read on to see our top looks and who each one is best suited for.
What’s the Best Hairstyle for Balding Men?
Losing your hair? You’re not alone. About two-thirds of men experience hair loss by the time they’re 35. Fortunately, losing your hair doesn’t have to mean losing your style.
There is a range of hairstyles for balding men that can camouflage hair loss or make the most of the hair they have. Men experiencing thinning hair or varying stages of baldness have found a multitude of ways to deal with the situation. One of the best? Humor.
Coming to grips with his receding hairline
When you’re well on your way
Or when you’ve just accepted the reality
Balding humor only gets you so far, though. You need a fitting hairstyle that helps you look your best. From close shaves and short styles that fade in all the right places to longer styles that disguise thinning spots, we’ve got you covered.
We’ll show you 30 examples of great styles for balding men, along with things to consider and how to choose the right style for you. Who knows; maybe you’ll even be inspired to try a bold new look after reading our guide.
30 Hairstyles for Balding Men
Check out these styles that are suited for thinning or balding hair. You’ll be the bold of the bald with any of these hairstyles.
1. Clean Shaven
If you ever feel out of options, you can always get a close shave. This style is popular among balding and non-balding men.
2. Clean Shaven With Beard
If you’ve got a beard going, it’ll look great paired with a shaved head. Keeping it trimmed and groomed will make this style look polished. This is a favorite hairstyle for balding men.
3. Shaved Head with Defined Hairline
If your hairline is still intact and your thinning is concentrated at the crown, this can be a perfect solution. Have your barber or stylist define your hairline and keep the rest shaved close.
4. Medium Top, Short Sides
If you’re experiencing some thinning at the crown, you can leave the top a little longer and go shorter down the sides and back. This gives you a little extra hair to style on top.
5. Short With High Fade
Another popular hairstyle for balding men, the Caesar-style cut features a slightly longer top with short-to-shaved faded sides. Since the fade starts close to the top of the head, it helps disguise a receding hairline.
6. Long Top Faded Undercut
Keeping the top long enables you to comb and style the hair backward, covering any thinning patches at the crown of the head. This style does well with a receding hairline, too.
7. Mini Pompadour
If you haven’t grown your hair out long enough to pull off a full pompadour, you can get the look with short to medium length hair on top. This style is great for bald or thinning spots near the front. And since the hair is pushed up and back, it looks thicker.
8. Side Part With Short Sides
Best for hair that is beginning to thin without bald patches, this style allows you to style your hair in the direction where it will cover the thinning spots best. It’s a popular style that is easy to maintain.
9. High Undercut
A bolder look to cover thinning patches at the crown, this high undercut is shaved close to the skin all the way to the top of the head. The top is left long enough to be slicked back with pomade or gel.
10. Shaved Fade
If your hairline is receding a bit, go for a close shave all over and have your barber fade the sides and back down to the skin. This is a look any face shape or balding pattern can pull off. That’s why we think this is a great hairstyle for balding men.
11. Polished Shaved Head
It’s not for everyone, but if you’re looking to channel your inner Vin Diesel or Mr. Clean, a little head polish can take your clean-shaven look to the next level.
12. Short Top With High Fade
Fades are great for men with thinning or balding spots. They draw the eye downward and create visual interest that distracts from any sparse areas on the scalp.
13. Tapered Medium Length
If your hair is short to medium in length, you can opt for a tapered cut and style like this. A little extra length gives you options for parting or slicking the hair back to disguise thin areas.
14. Height on Top With Medium Fade
The hair at the back is styled forward, while the hairline is brushed and styled up and back. This creates height on top that effectively conceals thinner areas. With the medium fade, there’s an element of interest that draws the eye down.
15. Medium Pompadour With Fade
A little extra length on top can be parted to the side or slicked back with this style. Have your barber shave a hard part to camouflage a receding hairline.
16. Shaved Part, Short Back
A shaved part does wonders for receding hairlines as it makes them appear part of the style. Have your barber cut your hair progressively shorter toward the back to keep the thinner hair at the crown from looking straggly.
17. Hard Part, Long Top
Keep the hair on top long enough to part to one side, and have your stylist taper the length of the sides gradually. Part it deep and use the length on top to cover thinner areas.
18. High Fade for Receding Hairline
Start the fade high up to camouflage a receding hairline as part of the style. The area just under temples, the sides, and back are all shaved close to the skin for this look. And the top is kept medium in length.
19. The Prince William
He didn’t invent the hairstyle, but he popularized making the most of a balding top by leaving a little length and keeping the fuller sides short. This guy knows how to rock a hairstyle for balding men.
20. Shorter at the Crown
Long hair doesn’t always play nice with thinning areas because it usually ends up exaggerating those spots. Keep it short on the sides and taper the length down toward the crown to make thin spots blend in.
21. Ultra Short Undercut
This ultra-short undercut is shaved almost to the skin around the sides and back, keeping the top just a little longer. This creates some cool geometric lines that draw the attention away from the top of the head and hairline.
22. Buzz Cut
If you’re not trying to hide or camouflage balding areas, just have your barber do a single-length buzz cut all over. This hairstyle for balding men is easy to maintain and takes no time to style.
23. The Beanie
It’s not technically a hairstyle, but beanies and caps are a favorite way to deal with thinning or balding. If it’s cold outside, don’t worry about perfecting your hairstyle – throw on a beanie and be on your way!
24. Longer Sides With Sideburns
Embrace a balding top by running the clippers over it to keep any remaining hairs at a short length, then have the sides and back cut or buzzed to one length. With sideburns and a beard, this is a popular look.
25. Brushed Forward
Perfect for hair that is receding at the hairline, a pushed forward style gathers the hair and brings it all to the front. This creates more volume at the hairline and can hide thinning temple areas.
26. The Terry Bradshaw
Former quarterbacks, sitcom celebrities, and famous men of all calibers have been known to rock this style. It is what it is, so why not embrace the GQ-dubbed “power donut” and let your bald spot shine?
27. Basic Crew Cut
Easy to style and maintain, this classic hairstyle is popular with balding men for a reason. It’s suitable for thinning or balding hair because all the hair is kept short (and shorter on the sides and back).
28. Caesar Fade
Modeled after Julius Caesar, this style keeps the front longer and styled forward. It’s paired with a high or medium fade, so it will need regular trims to look its best.
29. Tousled Taper
A little layering and tousling can distract from any thinner areas on top of the head. Use a styling product with light to medium hold to get a casual, disheveled look.
30. Short Faux Hawk Fade
Keeping the top short (but long enough to style into a faux hawk) will help conceal balding areas in the middle or at the crown. This style is shorter at the crown, longer toward the front, and fades down to a shorter length on the sides.
Considering a Haircut for Balding Men? Some Things to Consider
If you’re ready to try a new hairstyle that suits balding or thinning hair, keep these things in mind.
- Facial hair is flattering. If you’re thinning or balding on top, growing out your facial hair is always a good idea. Sideburns, a beard or goatee, and a mustache will create balance and draw attention to your face instead of your head.
- Keep your expectations in check. These hairstyles and cuts are intended to make the most of hair that is thinning or falling out. They will be flattering; they won’t make you look like you have a lush, full head of hair. Don’t expect a new hairstyle or cut to erase baldness, but rather to complement or make it less noticeable.
- Long hair isn’t a good idea. Even if you’ve always worn your hair long or prefer to be able to pull it back into a biker ponytail or hipster top knot, long hair isn’t a good match for thinning hair. The longer your hair, the more it exaggerates and draws attention to the sparse and bald areas.
- Pay attention to your hair brush. If you still have some length to your hair, you should pay close attention to the type of hair brush you’re using – and when you use it. Wide toothed combs and specially designed detangling brushes are best to prevent more hair breakage. When it’s wet, brushing your hair can also strain and snap your hair, so only brush your hair when it’s dry.
- Sunscreen is your friend. If you do opt to shave your head, get a short buzz cut, or go for an undercut, your scalp is going to be subjected to a lot more sunlight and damaging UV rays. Make sure you don’t neglect your noggin when applying sunscreen to keep from getting a painful sunburn on your head.
Frequently Asked Questions
What kind of haircut should a balding man get?
Short styles are best for men with receding hairlines. They could get a high and tight cut, a buzz cut, or a crew cut if they want something that doesn’t require a lot of maintenance or they’re starting to look patchy.
Should balding men get their hair cut short?
In general, men should keep their hair short. Short hair reduces the appearance of balding and gives hair some volume, so it looks like there is more hair. This provides balance and draws attention away from the thin hair on top of your head.
Does balding look worse with long hair?
If your hair is getting thinner, it is not a good idea to grow it long, particularly at the back and sides. That makes the top of your head look thinner in comparison to your sides and emphasizes the baldness. If you check yourself in the mirror and can see your scalp, shorten the sides and back equally to reveal the same amount of scalp.
How should I cut my balding hair?
Go to a barber or hairdresser and ask them to cut the back and sides short with one to two inches of length on the top and an inch of length on the sides. This makes the hair on top look thicker.
Can hair grow back after balding?
It depends on the reasons for the hair loss. Pattern hair loss is usually permanent, but hair loss from alopecia, an autoimmune condition, may not be. You can consult with a doctor or dermatologist to see what options may be available to you for hair regrowth.
Choosing the Right Hairstyle When You’re Balding
Whether you’ve just noticed the beginning of thinning or you’re already far along on the path to baldness, there are a multitude of options you have for styling and cutting your hair.
Some men prefer to embrace the hand they’ve been dealt and opt for a simple buzz cut or close shave. Others might prefer to choose styles that minimize the appearance of thinning hair or disguise it altogether.
The hairstyle you choose will depend on how comfortable you are embracing your hair as it currently is. Can’t bear to let go of the length you have on top? Make the most of it by keeping it to a manageable length.
That will better camouflage thinness than leaving it too long, which exaggerates sparse areas. Experiencing total baldness on top, but feeling uncomfortable going the way of George Costanza, Larry David, or Terry Bradshaw with the “power donut?”
Opt for a close shave with or without facial hair to look your best. Not sure what hairstyle you want? A shaved part, high fade, and overall short length will be flattering on anyone with thinning or balding areas.
Above all, don’t be afraid to try something new. Talk to your barber or stylist about hairstyles for balding men and let them know you’d like to find a hairstyle that suits your face shape and hair type.