As we mentioned, a fade is just transitioning from one hair length to another so it does not mean that you have to go down to skin to have a fade. The skin fade is the most defined fade however as it's very clear to see hair going from bald to say a 0.5 into a 2 at the top of the sides.
Let's use a skin fade haircut as an example - if you went down to skin, then the skin would be kept very low and the fade into longer length would start around a third of the way up your head. When talking about the fade, the skin fade haircut is often mentioned. A skin fade haircut though can still be split up into the four categories above, so it's up to you and your barber whether you go for a low, high or mid skin fade.
Originally worn in the 40s and 50s in the US military, and continued in hispanic and black barbershops, the fade really got elevated into "popular culture" in the 90s with people like Will Smith in the Fresh Prince of Bel Air.
The fade haircut would have previously been seen as an edgier hairstyle that may not have been accepted in the workplace, but with the resurgence of the fade in the last few years has come a great acceptance for rocking these sort of styles.
And with that it wasn't until the last few years the fade haircut has taken a huge leap into all hair types with more and more gents looking to rock it combined with almost any hairstyle imaginable.
Tapers, skin fades, low, high & medium fades are all types of fade haircut and it's easy to get confused by what they are and how to ask for them.
Here's our guide to what a fade haircut is and all you need to know about them.
What Is a Fade Haircut?
A fade essentially means a transition of lengths and colour on the back & sides of the hair. This means that the hair is not all buzzed to one length and has some sort of variation of lengths blended in together.
What Are The Different Types Of Fade Haircut?
A fade can essentially be split up into 4 key categories based on how high the fade goes up the head.
1. Taper fade
We've seen a lot of definitions of fade vs taper, but the way we see most barbers describe a taper is when it's a fade around the neckline or sideburns. This should be a small subtle fade that is the lowest and least harsh of all of the fade types. It is often worn to fade out a beard into the hairline or with longer hair on the sides to add something different!
2. Low fade
Next up in terms of height on the side of the head is the low fade Let's use a skin fade haircut as an example - if you went down to skin, then the skin would be kept very low and the fade into longer length would start around a third of the way up your head. This is great for those gents that don't want a harsh haircut, but who still want to add some transition to the back & sides.
3. Mid fade
The Drop fade will start around half way up the head and somewhere between a third to two thirds of the side of the head. It's also around the maximum height you want to go if you have a longer head, as a high fade can make the head appear even longer.
4. High fade
You guessed it, the highest of all of the fades! The high fade will start anywhere in the final third or so of the head and is the harshest of the four fades. When worn tight and high the high fade can almost reach the crown before transitioning into longer lengths, which makes it a lot more harsh.
As we mentioned, a fade is just transitioning from one hair length to another so it does not mean that you have to go down to skin to have a fade. The skin fade is the most defined fade however as it's very clear to see hair going from bald to say a 0.5 into a 2 at the top of the sides.
What Is A Skin Fade Haircut?
When talking about the fade, the skin fade haircut is often mentioned. A skin fade haircut though can still be split up into the four categories above, so it's up to you and your barber whether you go for a low, high or mid skin fade.
John Paret is a professional writer and blogger and love to write stories.