Getting a fade haircut is simple: Any barber in the country will go straight to work if you sit in the chair and ask for one. Getting a flattering fade that you love, that doesn't need a week to look O.K.? That's a lot more complicated. There are certain rules around fades, and all kinds of terminology. What's more, no two guys will wear the same style in the same way. 

“Fades usually depend on two factors: desired overall style and the shape of one’s face,” says barber Herson Rodriguez, who keeps guys lined up at Blind Barber Chicago. For example, he says low fades are better for medium-to-long styles, while also being more flattering for round faces. “A low fade allows the top length to blend naturally with the fade, and in terms of face shape, it visually slims and lengthens the face.” 

If your eyes just glazed over, that's cool—and that’s why it’s worth seeking out a good barber like Rodriguez: They’re going to be crunching these numbers in their head as they analyze your face and hair, ensuring that you’re getting something that flatters you. (And they’re smartly modifying the style of whichever celebrity haircut photo you brought in.)

For all fade haircuts, your barber gradually reduces the length of your hair on the side and back of your head until a given length. But there are lots of variables within that basic pattern. Here are some questions to ask in order to determine what kind of fade you get, according to Rodriguez. 

How much hair is left the end of the fade?

Clipper guard 

A common way of asking for a fade is to specify what clipper guard your barber should be using at the end of the fade. So a #1 fade will terminate in hair that's ¼ of an inch. 

Skin fadeIn this case the fade tapers all the way down to the skin and is usually finished with a razor blade by your barber. You'll want to talk to your barber about how high that bald section should go. 

"Skin fades are a popular choice for a higher contrast and more defined haircut,” Rodriguez adds. They’re also great for guys who want to showcase tattoos on the sides or backs of their dome. This section of skin-faded hair will grow in after a week or so, so regular cleanups will be needed to maintain the contrast.

How high on your head does the fade start? 

Low fade

Low fades quickly graduate to a fuller, scissor-chopped height. They are best suited for medium or long styles since they blend more naturally with the fade instead of sharper disconnects. However, the degree of difficulty is slightly higher for the barbers here, since it requires the professional to do a lot with a little bit of real estate. So, make sure you’ve got a trusted hand working on your head.

Mid fade 

Fades that are blended midway up the sides of your head, say an inch or more above the ear, are the most versatile of the fades, says Rodriguez. “Mid fades are great for short, medium, or long styles,” he says. There are fewer rules around face shape with these ones, since you have so much more hair up top to help determine how the style plays with your face shape instead of putting that weight on the fade.

High fade

There’s a reason the ‘high and tight’ is such a popular hairstyle: They are best suited for short, tight styles, Rodriguez notes. “If applied to medium or long styles, it creates a disconnected undercut,” he says. And that would be so 2014—think Macklemore. High fades can draw more attention to one’s natural face shape (as well as any bumps, moles, scars, etc), since they leave the sides so bare—and since the top is likely so short. That’s neither here nor there; just note the fact. It’s a good opportunity to shift the weight to your beard in terms of defining the overall shape of your collective “hair and facial hair” style. Keep in mind that this ultra clean look requires much more maintenance, since the slightest growth will steal from its sharp contrast. You might need to plan on getting weekly cleanups. 

Do you want a specific fade haircut? 

Drop Fades

A drop fade is lower around the ears and higher in the back of the neck, which connects the sides and back into one sweeping ‘U’-like visual. “Drop fades can be of any length, too.

Burst Fades

A burst fade expands from your ear in a circular pattern. If you have a mullet or mohawk style, then Rodriguez suggests a burst fade as a good option, since it follows the flow of the style itself from sides to back. 

Temple Fades

As you might have guessed, this involves a fade just around the temple.  What it does is elongate the face and pull focus to the tops of the hair style. It is used frequently in pompadour styles because of its high contrast, and Rodriguez says guys with rounder faces in particular should consider a temple fade. 

Are you dealing with thinning hair?

It’s worth calling out thinning hair in this article, since so many guys will have any hair loss top of mind. Rodriguez advises sticking with mid and high fades if you have experienced significant thinning up top. “This reduces the density near the horseshoe area at the top,” he says. This should help give hair an overall more uniform weight. He also says to avoid wearing your hair too long up top, since any excess length that falls down (instead of standing up) will accentuate thinning. 

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Adam Hurly has been covering men's grooming since 2013 (and for GQ since 2016). He is also a travel writer. In Fall 2024, Adam is launching Blue Print by Adam Hurly, a men's grooming platform. Adam resides in Lisbon (previously Berlin, NYC, and San Francisco). He is a Sioux Falls, SD, native... Read moreWriterInstagramRelated Stories for GQHair