Your Hair Terminology

Face ShapesShort Haircuts

Hair LossHow to wash your hair

Getting thick hair to stand

The area just above and behind the ear; the outline of the cut con-necting the sideburn area to the hair at the side and back of the head. Everyone has a natural arch, and many barbers will try to trim the arch in a way that simply cleans up and enhances the natural arch. Cutting a lower-than-average arch can minimize large ears, and cutting a higher-than-average arch can make small ears appear larger. However, if an arch is trimmed too high or too sharply without proper blending, it may look awkward when it grows out.

Hair in the front of the head that is worn down over the forehead; some-times also called “fringe.” Bangs can be long or short, and can be worn straight down or combed to either side. Some men wear bangs to cover a large or prominent forehead, or a slightly receding hairline.

Blocked nape versus tapered nape (or, blocked neck edge versus tapered neck edge)A blocked nape refers to cutting the hair straight across in a definite line where the hairline meets the back of the neck (the nape). It is sometimes also referred to as “squaring off” the nape. A tapered nape refers to a gradual decrease in the length of hair at the back of the head to zero, fol-lowing your natural hairline. Both are shown in the illustration below for comparison.

Blocked nape/tapered nape

A barber will usually ask if you prefer a blocked or tapered nape. If you have a skinny or long neck, blocking can add the illusion of width. A tapered nape will look good on a short or thick neck. In general, a tapered nape tends to look a bit neater and more natural than a blocked nape once your hair starts to grow out a few days after the haircut.

Tapered Nape

Layering refers to cutting hair at different lengths throughout the hairstyle. Layers can be blended so that you cannot see where one length leaves off and another begins, or they can be left unblended, giving a chunky appearance. Layering can help remove bulk and weight from areas where hair is generally left longer, like the top of the head. Lay-ers can be uniform throughout, such as trimming every hair on different parts of the head to ap-proximately the same length (instead of being cut longer in the center and shorter around the edg-es). Some kinds of layered cuts can give a more modern, “messy” look when hair gel or pomade is applied. In short, layering is a means to an end, and it doesn’t refer to a single specific style.

If you are getting a short hairstyle and want it layered, you can ask your barber for a layered cut. However, if you decide to wear a layered style that is very long (several inches or more on top), you might want to go to a men’s hair stylist where

they specialize in longer men’s cuts. Barbers can certainly cut longer men’s styles-- some are quite good at it-- but in general, most barber shops specialize in short-er men’s cuts. Choose a shop that can do the best job with the styles you like to wear.

A line of scalp (usually running parallel with the sides of the head) that can be seen when sec-tions of hair are divided and combed in opposite directions. A part can be made on any style where the hair is long enough. In the recent past, the conventional side for men’s hair parts was the left side, but hair may be parted on either side, or in the middle. The natural part begins at the crown, which can occur on either side of the head. See also “crown.”

In the context of hair cutting, shaving refers to the act of wet shaving, which is not the same as using a clipper or beard trimmer on its lowest setting. Having your head or face shaved smooth is differ-ent from having your hair clipped down to almost nothing.

The word “taper” refers to the act of creating a gradual, smooth change in hair length from one part of the head to another (for example, starting the hair very short at the neck edge, and gradually increasing the length of hair as you move toward the top of the head). A taper shows no abrupt lines or steps where the hair suddenly looks longer or shorter. Most short cuts employ at least some tapering, though where the tapering begins and how tight it is will depend on the style and preference of the wearer. A “ta-per” cut is a general name for a cut that gets progressively shorter as the hair approaches the nape of the neck. You can have a longish taper cut or a very short taper cut-- what makes it a “taper” is the subtle graduation in length.

Some people use the word “fade” interchangeably with “taper,” but keep in mind that in some shops “fade” will be interpreted to mean a certain local style. If you use “fade” to describe that you want a tapered effect, you might specify that you want the cut to “fade gradually from short in the back to longer on top,” or a similar description. Just be careful to specify length, and how drastic you want the fade/taper to look.

A frequent question asked by barbers is whether you would like a "tapered" neck or a "blocked" neck. See "blocked nape versus tapered nape," above, for an illustration and expla-nation of the pros and cons of either style.

The removal of some hair, usually on the top, to reduce thickness or volume, and to help shape the hair into a certain style. Thinning can be done using regu-lar haircut-ting shears, special “thinning shears,” or a razor.

This cut features longer hair around the top of the head and shorter hair around the lower part of the head with little or no blend-ing between the two lengths. It gets it name because it looks as though someone took a bowl, placed it on top of the head like a helmet, and then cut all the hair that stuck out from beyond the border of the bowl-- a popular way of cutting hair at home on the cheap. Because this style is frequently associated with kids getting their hair cut at home by mum, it may make the wearer appear boyish and young.

This cut features longer hair around the top of the head and shorter hair around the lower part of the head with little or no blend-ing between the two lengths. It gets it name because it looks as though someone took a bowl, placed it on top of the head like a helmet, and then cut all the hair that stuck out from beyond the border of the bowl-- a popular way of cutting hair at home on the cheap. Because this style is frequently associated with kids getting their hair cut at home by mum, it may make the wearer appear boyish and young.

The burr is created by taking a clipper with a very short blade and cutting all the hair on the head to the same length (usually 1/8 inch or shorter). It is shorter than a “butch,” which is usually about 1/4 inch or so. You can see much more scalp with a burr than you can with a butch. A burr is short enough that it feels a bit rough, like sandpaper, when you rub the head against the grain of hair growth.

A business man’s cut is a generic term for a conservative, short (but not too short) hair-cut that is appropriate for an office setting. It usually refers to a tapered cut on the back and sides, with enough length on the top of the head to be able to part the hair or wear it brushed back from the forehead. There are several possible variations on the busi-ness man’s cut.

The butch is created by taking a clipper and cutting all the hair to the same length on the top of the head (typically about 1/4 inch or so). It is longer than a “burr,” which is often considered to be 1/8 inch or less. A butch may or may not be tapered around the ears and near the neckline, depending on the preference of the wearer.

In the caesar, the hair on the top of the head is layered to around a length of 1 to 2 inches, with the front combed forward into short bangs. The back and sides are tapered. The style is named after Julius Caesar, who wore short bangs forward in a similar way.

In the caesar, the hair on the top of the head is layered to around a length of 1 to 2 inches, with the front combed forward into short bangs. The back and sides are tapered. The style is named after Julius Caesar, who wore short bangs forward in a similar way.

A fade is an extreme type of taper cut, where the hair on the sides and back is cut very, very close to the head and then tapered upward-- usually beginning above the ears or at the temple-- to a longer length on the top of the head. There are many lo-cal and popular names for different kinds of fades, such as temple fade, low fade, Philly fade, Brooklyn fade, and more; be sure to discuss what you’d like with your barber.

The high and tight is frequently worn in the military, particularly in the Marine Corps. The sides and back are extremely short, either clipped almost to the skin or shaved with a razor all the way up to the crown of the head. The top is usually worn very short (usually 1/4 inch or shorter, though some guys wear the very front part a little longer) and on the forward part of the head. There is minimal blending between the sides and the top; the amount of blending varies by preference. A more extreme version is the “high and tight recon,” described below.

The high and tight recon is an extreme version of the high and tight (above). The sides and back are shaved very high, about an inch or two past the crown of the head. There is no blending between the sides and the top. The patch of hair left on the top forward part of the head is more narrow and smaller than in a high and tight. The recon resembles an extremely short mohawk.

The sides and back are cut short and ta-pered across the crown, and the hair gradu-ally becomes longer and fuller toward the front. In a classic ivy league (shown in the illustration), enough hair is left in the front so that it can be neatly parted and styled, usually with pomade or gel. More contem-porary ivy league cuts may style the hair upward or forward in the front, but are still generally neat cuts that follow the shape of the head.

A pompadour is a generic term for a style that wears the hair brushed up and back from the forehead. Pompadours can be very short or very long on the top. Elvis Presley wore a few different pompadour styles in his lifetime, some short and some long. Often, styling products such as pomade are used to keep a pompadour in place.

“Regulation” is a generic term that refers to short, military style haircuts. The military isn’t entirely specific about how hair should be styled, so there are many different cuts that can technically qualify as adhering to regulations. For example, Marine Corps regulations state that the hair on the top of the head should not be longer than 3 inch-es, and that the hair from the neck hairline should begin at zero length and be graduat-ed toward the upper portion of the head. As for sideburns, they must not extend below the top of the orifice of the ear, must not be styled to taper or flare, and should not have extended hair length of more than 1/8 inch. Those regulations leave room for interpreta-tion, and include many standard short cuts,

including burr, butch, crew cut, etc. How-ever, those styles are not what is typically referred to when someone uses the term “regulation cut.” The styles more commonly known as “regulation,” are short cuts on the top (can be worn parted, brushed upward, crew-cut-style-taper, etc.), with the back and sides clipped very close (or shaved) and tapered so that scalp is plainly visible. This area of scalp is referred to as “whitewalls,” and the height of the whitewalls determines whether a cut may be called “low regulation” (short whitewalls), “high regulation” (tall whitewalls), or “medium regulation” (some-where in the middle). The illustration below shows a few variants of the regulation cut.

Different Regulation Cuts

Low Regulation Cut (Low and Tight)

A classic taper cut is simply a short haircut where the sides and back are cut progres-sively shorter down toward the neck, with even blending throughout. The hair on the top of the head is also tapered, but can be cut quite short, or left long enough to part or otherwise style with gel or pomade. A good taper cut should show no demarcation lines; the transitions between hair lengths should be smooth. Most short cuts employ at least some tapering.

WhitewallsAreas where the back and sides are clipped very close (or shaved) so that scalp is plainly visible. This area of scalp is referred to as “whitewalls.”

In order to end up with a really good-looking haircut, it is a good idea to know which styles might best suit the shape of your face, your overall head shape, your hairline, and your facial features. Just because a haircut looks good on your friend or on a celebrity doesn’t mean it will necessarily look as good on you!

A good barber will be able to suggest styles that suit your face, head, hairline, and features. Feel free to ask your barber to give you a cut that he or she thinks will look good on you; just be sure to mention your limits so you don’t end up with something that doesn’t suit your job or lifestyle.

The following section is summarized from information gathered from the barbering textbooks listed in the Resources section. Styling suggestions are provided for 8 different facial shapes: oval, round, heart-shaped, square, oblong, triangular (also called “pear-shaped”), inverted triangular, and diamond. Tips are also provided for certain facial features, such as prominent foreheads, short chins, small ears, long necks, and so on. Facial shape illustrations are modified from L. Sherman Trusty’s The Art and Science of Barbering.

Trans men should keep in mind that your facial shape may change somewhat after you have been on testosterone for a couple of years. The jaw-line may tend to square up a bit, giving a more angular appearance overall. This is similar to what happens to non-trans boys when they go through puberty. In general, adult men’s faces tend to look more angular than women’s or boy’s faces (though of course there are still a variety of facial shapes among men).

If you are early in transition and are looking for a haircut to help you appear more masculine, try to avoid emphasizing any roundness that may be in your face-- pick a style that gives you a more angular look. Many guys with round or soft faces end up choosing “masculine” styles that are cropped close to follow the curve of the top of the head (such as a butch or a rounded crew cut), but this may not be the best choice, as such styles may make your face look even more round and soft! Also, if the hair on your short style appears very “fuzzy” or “downy,” this can add to an overall softer look; you may want to add a small amount of hair wax or pomade to keep fuzzy hair styled and under control.

If you happen to be short in stature, wearing your hair upwards from the top of your head (as in a pompadour, brush cut, flat top, or textured layer cut) can add the illusion of a little more height-- but also choose these a style that looks good with the proportions of your face.

Another factor for trans men to consider is whether your barber or stylist reads you as male or female. If you are being read as female during early transition, a barber may (consciously or unconsciously) cut your hair to give a more feminine look. This is probably not intended in a negative way, it’s just that a large portion of women who get short haircuts don’t want a men’s haircut, so stylists and barbers are trained to accentuate different things in masculine and feminine cuts.

If you are with a barber who reads you as female (or who knows you from prior to transition) and is giving you a feminine cut, you have a few op-tions. One is to explain that you want the cut to look more masculine, or that you want it to look square and angular and minimize softness. You can suggest a style or modifications that you know will help masculinize your face type. A second option is to go to a different barber and get a fresh start. If you absolutely love your barber or stylist and don’t want to change, but the approach of requesting a more masculine style doesn’t seem to be working, try going to a different shop for a while until you have masculinized a bit more, and then return to your favourite barber or stylist. Once he or she has seen the changes in your face and overall appearance, perhaps the urge to “soften” your cut will have passed.

The oval face is considered to be the ideal face shape, in that just about every style looks good on an oval face. The oval face is slightly wider at the forehead, and features a rounded chin. Try a few different styles to see what suits you best.

The round face is shorter than the oval, with forehead, cheek bones, and jaw all of similar width. With the round face, the hairstyle should be cut to slim the face. Very short styles that follow the curve of the head (such as a butch, burr, or a short crew cut) will emphasize roundness and should be avoided. Leaving the hair a bit longer/fuller and adding texture on top will help lengthen the face. Beards should be styled to slim the face as well.

The square face has an angular jawbone and chin, paired with a squarish forehead. Hair should be styled to slenderize the face. The hair on top of the head should be reasonably full, possibly with short bangs that blend at the temples. A textured style with layers can look good on a square face.

The heart-shaped face is widest across the cheek bones and the eyes, with a broad forehead. The shape narrows at the jawline and comes to a pointed chin. Most styles will look good on the heart-shaped face, though fullness on the sides of the head should be avoided, as that is the broad-est point of the face.

An oblong face is long, with a forehead that is about the same width as the jawbone. Hair should be styled to shorten the length of the face. Adding bangs or otherwise styling the hair forward to cover the hairline may work well. Too much fullness on the top of the head should be avoided. Adding a moustache to an oblong face can help break up the length.

Hair loss for men is a much more common then it is for woman and inThis guide I’ve decided to include some of the top recommended productsFrom TP.bz users - along with tips to reduce or stop hair-loss.

Norwood-Hamilton Scale of Male Pattern Baldness

Rogaine is a topical (and fda approved) solution which can be bought over the counter at many pharmacies. Rogaine has been proven to regrow hair for those suffering from hereditary hair loss.

It’s believed that the way Rogaine works is by partially enlarging the hair follicles which in return reverse the hairs miniaturization process.This allows the hair to become longer and thicker looking which improves the coverage of the scalp.

Most men see results from Rogaine after a 4 month period, however it also depends upon the application amount.

From my understanding Rogaine is best used to grow missing hair from the back of the head but it doesn’t work so well for missing hair at the front.

Rogaine Foam TreatmentFor more info: Rogaine.com

Rogaine Dropper Solution

“Nizoral should not be seen as a hair loss treatment in it own right – rather a treatment that will enhance the effectiveness of other more potent hair loss treatments such as minoxidil and propecia. Used regularly, Nizoral could significantly boost the result of treatments like minoxidil because it creates a scalp with reduced levels of sebum. “ - Howtoall.com

How to use Nizoral

It is usually recommended for people with dandruff to use Nizoral 1 or 2 times a week at the most, but people who want to maximise its potential to help stop hair loss and aid in regrowth, should really consider using it at least 3 times a week but no more than 4 times, any more that would be unnecessary.

For more info: Nizoral.com

Nioxin is a shampoo which I’m using at the moment. I can personally vouch for this shampoo - before I started using it I had lots of dandruff in my hair and my hair was becoming very frizzy and thick. After using Nioxin for about a month the dandruff stopped and my hair started becoming healthy and smooth again. Nioxin stops inflammation in the scalp and is believed to thicken and help improve hair gain.

The cleanser (shampoo) stays in for 1 minute - x2 Washes

Scalp therapy is put on and washed off

Pat dry your hair

Apply the treatment spray on the scalp and leave it on.

For more info: Nioxin.com

Propecia reduces DHTa, a key cause of hair loss, by inhibiting the formation of DHT in your scalp. Reducing DHT appears to inhibit the further shrinking of affected hair follicles. DHT is a substance in the body that can shrink the hair follicle until it no longer produces visible hair. Scientists believe DHT and family history are key factors in hair loss.

For more info: Propecia.com

Hair Loss

“I have had 2 hair transplants in the last 5 years, started going bald when i was 23-ish, am 32 now. It’s not cheap, a little painful at first but boy does it work.

I use Propecia every day, don’t get it on prescription tho, will cost you an arm and a leg. I always order it from ge-neric4u.com, much cheaper than from local pharmacy. It is sold under the brand name Finpecia there.I live in Europe and a German company has the rights to the medicine here, so that’s why it’s so expensive. Check out your local situation.

Yes i love how my hair looks now :-)”

For more info: Propecia.com

“-Rosemary - Stimulates hair follicles, prevents premature baldness.

-Lavender - Controls the production of seba-ceous gland oil and reduces itchy and flaky scalp conditions.

-White Vinegar - Gets rid of dandruff without drying or irritating scalp.

-MSM - Organic sulfur, improves the health and strength of your hair.

-Nettles - Nutrient dense, good for vibrant skin and/or stimulating hair growth.

-Aloe Vera - Rejuvenates and heals skin.

-Vitamins E, B5, etc. - Condition and repair broken hair.”

hotbox9

“One product that works BETTER than finasteride is dutasteride (ask your doctor before use).

In a test area at 24 weeks, results showed:

Placebo -32.3 hairsFinasteride 5mg 75.6 hairsDutasteride 0.1 mg 78.5 hairsDutasteride 0.5 mg 94.6 hairsDutasteride 2.5 mg 109.6 hairs

Dutasteride 2.5mg vs. 0.5mg

The 2.5-mg dutasteride dose was consistently superior to 0.5-mg dutasteride in promoting scalp hair growth. The 2.5-mg dose was also better than the 0.5-mg dose at suppressing scalp DHT (79% vs. 51%), whereas it was only marginally better at suppressing serum DHT (96% vs. 92%). This difference in the dose-response of serum and scalp DHT to inhibition with dutasteride is likely to be due to the greater contribution of type 1 5?-reductase to scalp DHT concentrations.

Finasteride 5mg vs. Dutasteride 0.1mg

5 mg finasteride suppressed scalp DHT to a similar degree as 0.1 mg dutasteride group (41% and 32%, respectively). Many of the clinical effects (hair count changes, global panel assessment, and investigator assessment) were also similar in these two groups, supporting the similarity in scalp suppression between 5-mg finasteride and 0.1-mg dutasteride.“

“Try a dermaroller

it stimulates blodd flow to where ever you roll.Initially i was dubious, but im about 10 weeks in now and my receding wings have halted, and feel thicker“

“My personal hair care habits are:

MSM (2 weeks a month)Goji BerriesPumpkin SeedsHemp oiland Marine Phytoplankton“

“I have started using apple cider vinegar. Supposedly the results show after two months. I have used it twice by now. Should be done twice a week. You mix half water, half vin-egar and apply it on the scalp. Leave it on for 15 min - 30 min then wash down. You can use shampoo after but not anti dandruff one. It doesn’t work well with vinegar. After that dry the hair with towel.”

I know it might sound silly, but after some time my hair started becoming really thick and frizzy and it was all due to the way I washed my hair so now I’m going to share my own tips on how to wash your hair and what you should do to keep healthy hair.

Firstly avoid keeping your hair underneith the shower for too long - the fluorine and small chemicals in the water are thought to havean association with hair loss. Instead rinse your hair with water, put the shampoo/cond in but hold your head away from the running waterwhile in the shower - then rinse out.

Get your hair completely soaked with water and rinse it for a bit

Rub a small bit of shampoo, around the size of a quarteror a 2oc p, between the palms of your hands and smooth itinto the scalp of your head

Massage it into your scalp with your fingertips (BUT DO DONT RUBB IT HARSHLY!!)

Completely rinse your hair until water runs out with no bubbles.

If you so choose, wash with shampoo again.

Run conditioner (small size again) through the middle and tips of your hair. Your scalp produces its own oils to conditionthe roots, so there’s no need to apply conditioner there.

Leave the conditioner on for a few minutes.

End with a rinse of icy cold water. This will not prevent frizz, as manythink, but will only temporarily make hair appear less frizzy. Also, cold water acts to “close the pores” of your hair (as it does with skin)so your hair will look shinier when it dries.

If you are towel drying do not rub the hair with the towel as it is damaging to the hair. Instead lightly scrunch and pat your hair. Try not to use blow dryers too often,since they can damage your hair. Blow dry your hair ONLY if you are in a hurry or if it’s necessary.

Try to limit blow drying your hair every once in two weeks if possible, or don’t blow dry at all!

Over the years theres been many different hair products that I’ve tested. In the end I discovered that my hair was just too thick and no matter how ‘Strong’ the gel or moose advertised it’s self it was just too weak to hold my hair in place.

So here is the cure - and just to let you know, this shit is solid as fuck when you first open it it’s literally too hard to apply to your hair ..so the trick here is to apply it while your in the shower - right after you’ve washed your hair because the heat thins it it’s texture (then thickens again after)

Shampoo/Condition your hair

Rub the wax between the palms of your hands, using the warm water from the shower to thin out the wax

Apply it to your hair and quickly get out of the shower

While your hair is still warm and the wax is thin, run a comb through your hair into the opposite direction (upward)

This will get your hair spiky and help it stick up

Note:

Using a circular hair comb (the ones you see in barber shops)

Works the best for spiking up your hair.

References:

http://www.ftmguide.org/haircuts.htmlhttp://www.askrobinwalker.com/mensguidewww.rogaine.com www.nioxin.comwww.nizoral.comwww.propecia.com