The Mohawk Haircut: Classic, Faded & Burst-Fade Variants

The mohawk is one of the most recognisable haircuts in the world: all the hair on the sides and back of the head is removed or cut extremely short, leaving a strip — called the crest — running from the front hairline to the nape. In its classic form the sides are shaved to the skin. In its contemporary forms, the sides are faded or tapered in a continuous gradient that frames the crest without the hard contrast. Whatever the variant, the result is a cut that draws every eye to the top of the head.

The three main mohawk variants

The core shape is the same across all versions; what changes is the transition between the crest and the sides.

Classic (shaved-sides) mohawk

The sides and back are taken to bare skin with clippers on a #0 or a foil shaver. The crest width is usually 2–4 inches (5–10 cm) at its widest point across the crown. This is the highest-contrast, most committed version — the side regrowth is visible within a few days, which means the most frequent upkeep. The crest can be worn flat for a more understated look, or styled up into spikes or a full fanned crest.

Faded mohawk

Instead of bare skin on the sides, a barber blends from very short (typically a #0.5–#1 at the temples) up toward the crest using clipper-over-comb or fading technique. The result is softer than the classic: there is still a visible strip on top, but the sides have a gradient rather than a hard line. A skin fade into the crest sides is the most popular request — it keeps the contrast high but looks more refined. The fade needs refreshing every 2–3 weeks.

Burst-fade mohawk

The burst fade radiates outward from behind the ear in a semicircular arc, creating a rounded shape around the ear rather than a straight vertical line up the side of the head. Combined with the mohawk crest, this gives the cut a more sculptural, almost 3-D quality when viewed from the side. The burst-fade mohawk is popular in barbershop culture and works especially well on hair types 3 and 4, where the natural volume of the crest complements the curved geometry of the sides.

How to style the crest

The crest is the centrepiece of the cut, and getting it to stand up or fan out properly takes the right product, the right technique, and a little practice.

1. Start with freshly washed, towel-dried hair — not soaking wet, not bone dry.
2. Work a strong-hold pomade or hard wax through the strip from root to tip, coating every strand evenly.
3. For individual spikes, pinch sections between your fingers and twist each one to a point.
4. For a full fanned crest, use a wide-tooth comb to direct all hair upward, then blast with a hairdryer on medium heat while holding the shape.
5. Once the shape is set, mist the entire crest with a light-hold hairspray and leave it to cool before releasing your hands.
6. Touch up any loose sections with a small amount of additional product on your fingertips.

Mohawk vs. faux hawk: what actually changes

The faux hawk (often called the "fohawk") is the office-friendly cousin of the mohawk. The core difference is the sides: a faux hawk leaves the sides short but not shaved — usually cut to a #2–#4 — so it reads as an ordinary short taper from the side. The mohawk, by contrast, has no hair on the sides, which makes the crest unmistakably intentional from any angle. The faux hawk is reversible on any given morning; the mohawk is a committed lifestyle choice until it grows out.

Face shapes and hair types

The vertical emphasis of the mohawk adds height and draws attention upward, which is great for round and square faces that can benefit from elongation. Oval and oblong faces carry any variant naturally. Because the crest is narrow, it can make very wide faces look even wider if the strip extends too far down the temples — in that case, a slightly wider crest and a faded rather than shaved side is more flattering. Consult our face shape guide before committing. Hair types 1 (straight) and 2 (wavy) hold spikes most easily; types 3 and 4 (curly and coily) produce an impressive natural volume when the crest is picked out or left unproducted.