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Low fade vs mid fade vs high fade! What is the difference between these hairstyles for men. Also learn what is a mid drop fade and taper fade and how to create these styles!
Fade hairstyles have always been in vogue since they got popular, thanks to the US military in the ’40s and ’50s.
In this haircut, your barber makes your hair taper from the top to the bottom to make it look like it’s faded.
These low-maintenance haircuts make you look sharp and stylish in every season.
This haircut is also popularly known as “military reg” because it is commonly worn by people in the military.
Related: Best Hair Clipper For Fades
What is a fade hairstyle?
This type of haircut was known as the “fade hairstyle” after it became popular in black-owned hair salons and barbershops.
It gives a faded or an ombre look to your head because as the trimmer ascends from the top of your head, your hair is cut closer to the skin.
The hair is not trimmed at a uniform length in this haircut and it gives a transitioned look to your head.
Most modern barbers use a hair clipper to easily give you a fade cut but traditionally, a fade can be achieved with the help of a blade.
Sometimes, they use a combination of both these tools to get the perfect fade.
Although it was first identified as an edgier and informal hairstyle, it slowly began getting accepted in workplaces and formal environments.
There are so many different fades that you can choose from and they can be confusing at times.
Let us take a look at some of the different types of fade haircuts that you can try on your hair.
What are taper fades?
A taper fade is the type of fade cut with the shortest amount of fading. This is when the hair is only shortened slightly above the neck.
This is one of the most subtle fades so this is great for people who don’t want a major change in their haircut.
In this haircut, the barbers work around your neck and sideburns to decrease the length of your hair in those areas.
A taper fade is a great haircut for beginners who are venturing into the world of fading.
It is known as taper fade because it is a combination of both taper and fade cut. In a regular taper haircut, the hair at the ends is of the same length whereas, in a taper fade, you can actually see a subtle transition at the bottom.
The hairstyle is often combined with a beard where the hair is faded out to the beard.
This is a great option for people who do not want to keep longer hair at the sides of their heads. Also, a taper fade is a foolproof option for a haircut because it goes well with all face shapes.
Low fade vs mid fade vs high fade 2022
A fade haircut can be either of these four types – taper fade, low fade, mid fade, and high fade.
These are differentiated based on how long the fade extends on your hair.
Not everybody wants to have long hair at the top so you can customize the look according to your needs.
A lot of people even prefer to have hair that is long enough to be tied into a pony or a bun at the top. Let us take an in-depth look into the different types of fades:
Low fade
A lower fade is similar to a taper fade and it has very few differences.
In a low fade haircut, the fade starts at the ear level, unlike the taper fade where the fading usually happens below the sideburns and neck.
This haircut is usually done by using hair clippers. This is one of the smoothest-looking haircuts and helps in avoiding a drastic change in your hairstyle.
A low fade is a very versatile haircut that allows you to experiment with other styles.
You can try out mohawk hairstyle, pomps, faux hawks, and side hawks with this cut.
A lower fad cut is usually worn by men with long hair to get a more classier look. They also give a cool and trendy look when combined with short hair.
The best part is that you can customize the low fade according to your current hairstyle. This is one of the most popular professional haircuts for men since it makes you look really sharp and sleek.
Types of low fade haircuts
Low Bald Fade– This haircut helps in creating a good contrast between the long hair on top and your sides.
It can also be combined with other hairstyles like half ponies and man buns. You can blend the fade from your head to the beard to get a neat look.
Low razor fade– In this haircut, the portion where the fade starts are shaved off to create an edgy look. This is suitable for men with short hair at the top.
Low taper fade– If you don’t want a drastic change, you can opt for a low taper fade.
Your hair is only faded at a small portion from the nape of your neck to the upper portion of your jawline.
You can combine this haircut with so many different styles like ivy league or side part to get a formal look.
Low skin fade– This is a great option for people looking to get a low-maintenance look. It goes well with short hair and thick stubble.
Mid fade haircut
The mid fade is also known as medium fade. In this haircut, the transition starts halfway up the sides and the back.
The difference between a low fade and a mid fade is that the hair is cut short a little higher than a low fade.
The transition of your hair is very gradual so it gives a really neat and crisp look. You can also experiment with various looks with a mid-fade haircut such as the mid bald fade, mid fade undercut mid zero cuts.
This hair cut helps in giving a good frame to your face and eyes and will look good on people with shorted heads since it gives an illusion of a longer head.
It popularly works with longer hair that is neatly slicked to the back. You can use a product that gives a good hold or a defining spray to maintain the look.
This haircut can be customized according to different clipper sizes at the barbershop.
You can easily pair this look with any hair length and style them in so many different ways.
Types of mid fade haircuts
Mid taper fade– This haircut is probably one of the best choices for a haircut in men because it works with all hair textures.
If you have naturally wavy or curly hair and feel like the cut will not suit your face, a mid-taper cut will solve all your woes.
You can use number 1 or number 2 clippers to achieve this look. You can even use for number 0 clipper size to get a better contrast.
If you have thick voluminous hair, this hair cut helps in balancing the volume of your hair by taking some weight away from it.
Mid-Bald fade– In this haircut, your sides are shaved all the way down. This gives a high contrasted look on your head.
You can use a clipper size 3 on top of your head to get a french crop, buzz cut, or a tight fade.
Mid-top fade– A mid-top fade includes flawless fading that gives a smooth transition to your hair. It gives you a very shiny finish. Use a hair pomade after styling your hair to set your hair.
High fade
If you are looking for a haircut that will look good with all types of men’s hairstyles, the high fade is the one for you. The haircut is pretty self-explanatory and it gives the highest of the fades among the three.
In this cut, most of your head is faded and only a small patch of hair remains at the top. You can combine this cut with a line-up, hard part, or a hair design to get a trendier look.
Types of high fade cuts
High taper fade– This fades stars at the crown area of your head to give the most contrasting look out of the rest of the cuts.
This is a great option for people who want to experiment with longer hairstyles at the top.
It works really well with afros and pompadours. But do not limit a high fade to only long hairstyles.
This haircut can equally rock short hairstyles like the caesar haircut and crew cut.
If you have thick hair that is difficult to manage, you can go for high taper cuts that allow you to reduce the density of your hair.
High skin fade- the high skin fade blends the faded part of your hair by completely cutting the hair from the sides and back.
This is usually done with the help of a razor or a number 0 hair clipper.
If you want your hairstyle at the top to be highlighted, this cut will work pretty well for you.
You should, however, be wary of the scalp that is exposed in this cut and take that into account before finalizing this cut.
High fade undercut– A high fade undercut is a combination of the fade and the undercut.
This is a very stylish haircut that will help in highlighting the top style. This works well if the top part of your hair is long.
FAQs about Low Fades, Taper Fades, And Mid Fades
Is low fade and taper fade the same?
Low fade and taper fades are not the same. However among the types of skin fade hairstyles, low and taper fades are the closest in resemblance. This is because the low fade like the taper starts very low, almost an inch or two above the ear. The only difference is that low fades abruptly go from hair to bare skin while in taper fades there is a gradual thinning of hair from the ear to the nape of the neck.
How do I choose a fade?
The most important factor that influences what fade you should get is your hair length. Choose the fade depending on how long you want your hair to be. If you get a high fade, the barber will shave off most of the hair around the nape of your neck and back and you’ll only be left with a mop top of sorts. However, with a low fade, the shaved area starts from an inch above your ear. So you’ll be left with more hair. It’s also easier to do a low fade if you’re trying to cut your own hair. As you might chop off a lot more than necessary with high fades.
So these were the different types of fade hairstyles. If you wanted to know the difference between a low fade, high fade, and medium fade, I hope this article clears up any doubts.
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Best Korean Hairstyles For Men
To Summarize
