--- title: "High Fade" date: 2026-11-15 published: 2026-11-13 author: "" --- # High Fade [Home](/) / [Men’s hairstyles](/mens-hairstyles/) / High Fade# High Fade The fade climbs to the top of the sides, so the sides are mostly short and the top stands out. FadeHighTop of the sidesEvery 2 weeks A high fade is a haircut where the sides and back blend from very short at the bottom to longer above, with the blend starting high, where the side of the head turns into the top. Almost the whole side ends up short, so the hair on top stands out sharply against it. It gives the most contrast of any fade, and it needs the most frequent cutting. It is one of the bolder cuts among [more men’s hairstyles](/mens-hairstyles/) in the directory. ![Man with a curly crew top and a high fade with a sharp line-up, front view, in a grey hoodie](/wp-content/uploads/mens-hairstyles/photos/realistic/high-fade-haircut-front-photo.jpg)Front ![Profile of a high fade, skin up to the top of the sides under a short coily top](/wp-content/uploads/mens-hairstyles/photos/realistic/high-fade-haircut-profile-photo.jpg)Profile The same cut from the front and in profile. ## At a glance Also calledHigh fade haircut SidesShort almost to the top of the head Top1 to 5cm, often a crew cut or flat top Where it startsWhere the side of the head turns into the top Goes down toA grade 0 or 1, or skin UpkeepEvery 2 weeks Best onRound faces. It adds height Avoid ifYour face is long and narrow Upkeep**4 / 5** Regrowth on the sides shows quickly Styling effort**1 / 5** A short top needs almost nothing Length needed**1 / 5** Works with a very short top ## £5 off your first delivery A fresh cut looks sharpest with a clean neckline. A sharp blade keeps it that way between visits, without the razor burn a blunt one leaves. *This page has a form, which is not reproduced here. Use the page itself to fill it in.* £5 off your first subscription or VIP order – one per customer, unsubscribe with 1 click ## How to ask your barber 1. **Say where it starts**Ask for a high fade starting where the side of your head turns into the top. 2. **Give the bottom grade**A grade 0 or 1, or skin. 3. **Describe the top**Give the length. A crew cut is usually 1 to 3cm. 4. **Check the blend**Ask for the line between the fade and the top blended in, not left as a step. ## The variations The same cut, worn differently. What changes is the length, where the short part starts and how the top is styled. **With a crew cut** 2cm on top The classic military look. **High skin fade** Taken to skin Maximum contrast. **With a flat top** Squared-off top Needs a barber who knows the shape. **With curls** Curly top Sharp sides, volume on top. **With a textured crop** 3 to 4cm, forward Modern and low effort. ## Will it work with your hair? Hair type decides how a cut sits and how fast it loses its shape. The table below is the short version. Straight Works Clean, but can look severe with a very short top. Wavy Works Keep a little length on top for the waves. Curly Ideal Curls on top against short sides. Coily Ideal A sharp outline that holds its shape. Thick Ideal Removes nearly all the side bulk. Fine or thinning Works A short top over a high fade makes thin hair look deliberate. ## Will it suit your face? Where a cut adds height and where it takes width away decides how it sits with your face shape. Hair type matters more, but this is the short version. Oval Ideal Balanced proportions, so the cut itself decides. Round Ideal Height on top and shorter sides lengthen the face. Square Ideal Height on top balances a strong jaw. Oblong Avoid Extra height makes a long face look longer. Heart Works Keep the height modest so the forehead does not look wider. Diamond Works Some fullness on top helps; very tight sides stress the cheekbones. ## Beard styles that go with it Hair and beard are one outline. These keep the proportions right with this cut. [![Man in an olive overshirt with a full beard, dense and evenly trimmed across the cheeks, jaw and chin with a moustache, three-quarter view](/wp-content/uploads/beard-styles/photos/full-beard-beard-style-three-quarter-photo.jpg) **Full beard**Very short sides with a full beard keep the weight balanced low.](/beard-styles/full-beard/) [![Man in a white T-shirt with a beard fade, a full beard that gets shorter up the cheeks and blends into a skin fade haircut, front view](/wp-content/uploads/beard-styles/photos/beard-fade-beard-style-front-photo.jpg) **Beard fade**The fade runs on into the beard at the sideburn.](/beard-styles/beard-fade/) [![Man in a charcoal jumper with a goatee, a chin beard joined to a neat moustache, cheeks clean-shaven, front view](/wp-content/uploads/beard-styles/photos/goatee-beard-style-front-photo.jpg) **Goatee**A goatee adds shape low down without covering the jaw.](/beard-styles/goatee/) ## What a high fade is A fade is any cut where the hair shortens gradually towards the bottom, with no visible step between lengths. The height in the name is where that blend starts. On a high fade it starts at the top of the sides, around the corner of the head. Stand side-on to a mirror and look for where your head stops being vertical and starts curving over. That is the line. ![Smiling man with a high fade, the sides close to skin up to the temple and a short top combed up](/wp-content/uploads/mens-hairstyles/photos/high-fade-combed-up-top.jpg) Below it, the barber works down through the grades to the shortest point, usually a grade 0 or a half, just above the ear and at the nape. Because the distance between the top of the fade and the bottom is short, the blend has to be done carefully. A rushed high fade shows its steps. Take the bottom down to bare skin with a foil shaver or razor and it becomes a high skin fade. That is the most dramatic version, and the [skin fade](/mens-hairstyles/skin-fade/) page covers it in full. ## High fade vs low fade and mid fade Height is the only difference. The top and the finishing grade can be identical. A [low fade](/mens-hairstyles/low-fade/) starts just above the ear and keeps most of the side at length. It is subtle and grows out slowly. A mid fade starts around the temple. Clear contrast from the front, nothing dramatic. A high fade starts at the top of the side. Very little length is left anywhere below the top, and the shape of the head shows clearly. Regrowth is visible within a week or so, because a few millimetres of new hair on a big area of short hair is easy to see. ![Profile of a high fade, skin up to the top of the side with a shaved line, and a short top pushed up](/wp-content/uploads/mens-hairstyles/photos/high-fade-shaved-line-side-view.jpg) If you are weighing them up, the [types of fade](/mens-hairstyles/types-of-fade/) page lays them all side by side. ### High fade vs high taper A high taper fade starts at a similar height, but the short part is concentrated at the edges, the sideburns and the nape, and more of the side keeps some length. It reads softer. If a high fade feels too stark, the [high taper fade](/mens-hairstyles/high-taper-fade/) is the gentler relative. ## Who a high fade suits **Round faces.** Taking almost all the width off the sides and leaving length on top makes a round face look longer. This is where a high fade does the most good. ![Man in a barbershop with a high fade, a short curly top and a sharp line-up](/wp-content/uploads/mens-hairstyles/photos/realistic/high-fade-curly-crew-line-up-barbershop.jpg) **Long, narrow faces.** The opposite. A high fade narrows the head further and makes a long face look longer. A low or mid fade is the better call. **Hair type.** Thick hair suits it well, because the high fade removes nearly all the side bulk in one go. Curly and coily hair are a natural match. The sides stay tight against the volume on top, and the outline holds its shape. Straight and wavy hair work, though a very short straight top over a high fade can look severe. Leave a little more length on top to soften it. **Fine or thinning hair.** It can work. A short top over a high fade makes thin hair look deliberate rather than sparse. What does not work is a long, flat top over very pale sides, which puts the thin areas on display. If coverage is the worry, see [haircuts for balding men](/mens-hairstyles/haircuts-for-balding-men/). **Work.** A high fade with a neat top is accepted in most workplaces now. It reads as sharper and more deliberate than a low fade. In very conservative settings, a low fade attracts less attention. **Lifestyle.** Anyone happy to be in the barber’s chair every fortnight. If you want to stretch cuts to five or six weeks, this is the wrong fade. ## How to ask a UK barber for a high fade 1. **Say where it starts.** “A high fade, starting where the side of my head turns into the top.” Touching the spot is clearer than any word. 2. **Give the bottom grade.** A grade 0 (no guard, about 0.5 to 1mm) is standard. A grade 1 (3mm) at the bottom is softer and less pale. For skin, ask for a high skin fade. 3. **Describe the top.** Give a length. A crew cut top is usually 1 to 3cm. A textured crop is 3 to 5cm. Anything combed needs more. 4. **Ask for the blend.** Say you want the top of the fade blended into the top of the head, not left as a ledge. That is the difference between a high fade and an undercut. Example orders: - “High fade from a grade 0, starting at the top of the sides, blended into about 2cm on top.” - “High skin fade, blended in, about 4cm on top, textured and pushed forward.” If you wear a beard, ask for a beard fade, with the sideburn blended down into the beard so the two connect without a hard line. ## Styling a high fade The sides need nothing. The top is the whole job, and with a high fade the top is usually short. **Very short tops.** A crew cut or buzzed top needs no product at all. If it sticks up, a pea-sized amount of matte paste flattens the fluff. **Crops, 3 to 5cm.** Rub a small amount of matte clay or paste between your palms and work it through dry hair with your fingers. Push it forward or up. One minute. **Longer, combed tops.** A quiff or a side part over a high fade needs a blow-dry in the direction you want it to sit, then a cream or light pomade and a comb. **Curly tops.** Curl cream on damp hair, scrunch, and leave it to dry without touching it. Keep product light and keep it off the short hair. Heavy, shiny product over pale sides looks greasy fast. ## Upkeep and how often to cut a high fade Every two weeks to keep it sharp. Three at a push. Hair grows roughly 1cm a month, and on a high fade a few millimetres of regrowth is enough to soften the blend and blur the line. A high skin fade loses its contrast quickest of all. The top can go longer between cuts. If you are growing the top, tell the barber you only want the sides and back done. Some barbers offer a cheaper fade-only tidy between full cuts. Worth asking. ## High fade variations The fade stays the same. What changes is the top. ![Profile of a man with a full beard and a high skin fade under a short top](/wp-content/uploads/mens-hairstyles/photos/realistic/high-fade-crew-top-full-beard-profile.jpg) - **With a crew cut.** About 2cm on top. The classic military look, and the lowest-effort version there is. See [crew cut](/mens-hairstyles/crew-cut/). - **High and tight.** A very short buzzed top, often a grade 2 or 3, over a high skin fade. Even less to style. - **High skin fade.** Taken to bare skin. Maximum contrast and maximum upkeep. - **With a flat top.** A squared-off top that needs a barber who knows the shape. - **With curls.** Sharp sides and natural volume on top. - **With a textured crop.** 3 to 4cm pushed forward. Modern and easy. To grow a high fade out, ask the barber to leave the sides alone and only tidy the neckline and around the ears. Because so much of the side is short, it takes a couple of months to look like an ordinary cut. Expect an awkward patch around weeks four to six where the sides puff out. A grade 3 or 4 all round the sides at that point evens it up. ## Questions we get asked What is a high fade?A high fade is a fade haircut where the blend starts high on the head, at the point where the side turns into the top. Almost the whole side is cut short, usually down to a grade 0 or skin at the bottom, leaving the hair on top to stand out against it. How often does a high fade need cutting?About every two weeks to keep it sharp, three at the most. The short area is large, so regrowth shows quickly. A high skin fade needs cutting the most often of all. Does a high fade suit a round face?Yes, it is one of the best fades for a round face. Removing the width from the sides and leaving height on top makes the face look longer. On a long, narrow face it has the opposite effect, so a low fade is the better choice there. What is the difference between a high fade and a high taper?A high fade shortens the whole side below the starting line. A high taper only shortens the edges, the sideburns and nape, and leaves more length through the middle of the side. The taper is softer and grows out more gently. Can you get a high fade with thinning hair?Yes, if the top is kept short. A short, textured top over a high fade makes thin hair look intentional. A long top swept back over very pale sides draws attention to thin areas, so avoid that combination. What is a high and tight?A high and tight is a high fade, often taken to skin, with a very short buzzed top, usually a grade 2 or 3. It is the shortest and lowest-effort version of the high fade. ## Other fades Close relatives, and how they differ. [Skin FadeGrade 0 to skin](/mens-hairstyles/skin-fade/)[Low FadeAbove the ear](/mens-hairstyles/low-fade/)[Burst FadeAround the ear](/mens-hairstyles/burst-fade/)[Drop FadeCurves behind the ear](/mens-hairstyles/drop-fade/) ## Browse by what matters to you The same directory, cut a different way. [Types of Fade HaircutWhere the fade starts, how short it goes, and the shapes in between.](/mens-hairstyles/types-of-fade/) [All 29 hairstylesThe full directory](/mens-hairstyles/) [Shaving subscriptionFor a clean neckline between cuts. Five-blade refills from £10](/)