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What Is a Faux Hawk Haircut?

By Christina Edwards
Updated: May 17, 2024

A faux hawk haircut goes by several different names, including pseudo hawk, front hawk, fohawk, and Hoxton fin. It is similar to a mohawk, but the hair is usually left a little longer on the sides. It is a very versatile style, and quite easy to cut. This haircut became popular at the very beginning of the 21st century.

Anyone who lived through the 1980s probably remembers the mohawk haircut. This was typically considered to be a punk style haircut, and it was mainly reserved for rebellious individuals. It was created by shaving hair on the sides of the head, while leaving a longer strip of hair on top. This ran from the front of the head to the back, and it was often styled in a manner so it stuck straight up in the air.

A faux hawk haircut is a bit similar, but it is a little less radical. Individuals with these types of haircuts still leave the strip of hair on top a little longer, but the sides of the head are not shaved. Instead, the sides are left a little shorter than the hair on top.

Cutting a faux hawk haircut is considered to be quite simple. Many people may even be able to do this at home, thus saving money on a salon visit. Using clippers is often considered one of the best ways to do this. These not only make a DIY haircut easier and faster, but they also ensure that the hair is cut to a uniform length.

Separating the top strip of hair is usually the first step. The thickness of the strip is often determined using the irises of a person's eyes as a guideline, and the length of this section of the hair is usually about 1 to 2 inches (2.5 to 5 centimeters) longer than the sides. The strip is then held away from one side of the head, either with clips or by hand. That side of the head can then be clipped. When it is finished, the other side can be clipped.

The faux hawk haircut has a number of styling possibilities. It can be an edgy look, or it can be more conservative. Styling a faux hawk haircut is also considered to be quite easy. Many individuals with this type of haircut opt to use hair gel or wax to make the strip on top stand up slightly. For a more conservative look, it can be left to fall naturally in place.

The versatility of this haircut is not the only reason it became popular. In the early 2000s, several different famous men sported this style. Movie stars, musicians, and sports stars were among some of the famous individuals to begin cutting their hair in this manner.

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Discussion Comments
By ZipLine — On May 21, 2014

@ddljohn-- I know professionals with faux hawk haircuts. They just don't put up the middle section of their hair with hair products when they go to work. They brush it neatly to the side or sides and it turns into a regular, professional haircut. When they're going out or on the weekends, they style the middle section of the faux hawk with hair wax or gel. You could do the same thing. Just tell your hair stylist that you intend to use the haircut both ways so the sides should not be very short.

By ddljohn — On May 20, 2014

Are there any other versions of a mohawk haircut? I'm interested in getting a faux hawk, but I don't think that this is the right hair cut for someone who is working at a professional organization.

By fBoyle — On May 20, 2014

There are different types of faux hawks. Sometimes the hair on the sides is left a little shorter than the middle, other times it's very short like a buzz cut. And the sides usually fade a little towards the ears and neckline.

Original mohawk involves shaving the sides altogether. And the hair in the middle is usually very long. So although a faux hawk is considered a type of mohawk, I think it's very different. I actually have a friend with a mohawk who looks down on people with faux hawks. He thinks that they didn't have the courage to get the real thing. I don't really think that way because cutting a mohawk requires long hair and it's kind of high maintenance.

So I understand that most people don't have the patience or desire to deal with it. And they probably don't want the rebellious meaning associated with mohawks. So I can't blame people who prefer faux hawks and I think that this is a really nice hair style for men.

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