The Modern Fade and the Faux-Hawk

A new men's haircut is beginning to overtake the summer's shaggy do for teenage boys in the Lehigh Valley in Pennsylvania. Those long tangly locks, which became a bit out-of-control during the summer school hiatus, are finally falling to the floor of salons all over the Valley. Two neater, messy do's with a lot more options are beginning to take it's place: the faux-hawk and the modern fade. These two haircuts are increasing in popularity across the Lehigh Valley as boys and teenagers get tired of the hot, heavy hair and the long messy locks.
The modern fade is a look we see on men of all ages. It's clipper cut on the sides, with a number two, three, or four, and scissor cut on top. The length on top is usually cut to about finger length to an inch long. The top is blended into the sides so that there are no visible lines. Sideburns are usually trimmed to just below the ears, and the back is either squared off or slightly rounded, depending on the hair line. The hair can be styled forward, back, parted, or even messy or spikey on the top. This haircut can be customized by the stylist to fit many hair types and head shapes. The result is a neater, more modern look with much less coming required. A little styling product, such as Regis' Molding Glue, or BedHead's Manipulater, are all that is needed to add a little oomph to the style. Just take a small amount of product, rub hands together, and distribute through the hair, spiking, twisting, or mussing it up as desired. Although the daily maintenance on this style is minimal, it does require more frequent trips to the salon to keep it looking neat and clean.

A slightly different version of the modern fade is a faux-hawk. Technically, a faux-hawk, a modern twist on the mohawk, is cut so that the section of hair in the middle of the head from the forehead /bang area to the nape/back of the neck area is slighter longer, and tapering shorter and shorter to the sides. This lends itself to the hair being spiked up more easily in the center, but the sides are left a little bit longer. The most requested faux-hawks are still typically clipper cut on the sides, but usually a number four or five clipper is used. The top of the head is still scissor cut, but the haircut makes a peak in the center of the head. This hair cut is usually an inch to two inches on top, tapering down to approximately a half inch on the sides. This cut is meant to be styled in a rough point on the top of the head. Any other style may not work with this cut. Make sure you discuss how you want your faux-hawk to look with your stylist, as the details may vary from region to region. The same type of styling products used for the modern fade can be used for the faux-hawk, although you may want to use a product with a more extreme hold, such as Tigi's BedHead Hard Head Mohawk Gel.

Although the faux-hawk is being greatly requested in salons in the Lehigh Valley, many parents really want to see the modern fade styled into a faux-hawk style. They don't want an actual faux-hawk hair cut so that their child can style their in more conservative ways for important events or special days. As always, keep in mind that careful communication with the stylist is important to customize these looks and the right products are a necessity to keep them looking their best. With little effort, your Lehigh Valley teenager can sport a modern fade or faux-hawk that is trendy enough to keep them happy and short enough to keep Mom and Dad happy, too.