The Best Haircuts for Thinning Hair on Men

Dealing with thinning hair or a receding hairline can be frustrating. As your hairline moves back and your hair gets thinner, you may need to change up your hairstyle to accommodate it — and that’s okay.

Not only can a good haircut make your new hairline or lack of hair density less visually obvious — it can often turn it into an asset that emphasizes your best facial features.

From hairstyles for balding men to simple cuts that soften a receding hairline, you have a wide variety of options to reduce the aesthetic effects of hair loss and keep your hair looking its best.

Below, we’ll share 16 haircuts for receding hairlines, thinning hair, and other signs of baldness. We’ll also discuss your options for protecting your hair follicles, stopping hair loss from worsening, and even potentially regrowing some of your lost hair.

Whether you currently have a short haircut, medium-length hair, curly hair, or fine hair, there’s an on-trend, low-maintenance haircut for you.

The best haircuts for thin hair on men include:

• The buzz cut

• The sweep-over

• The crew cut

• The mop top

• The crop top

• The slick-back

• The Caesar

• The pompadour

• The texturized top

• The quiff

• The skin fade

• The buzz and beard

• The undercut

• The faux hawk

• Flowing waves

• Shaving it all off

Remember: Hairstyles for balding men can look great. The hardest part is finding a hairstyle that works for you.

1. The Buzz Cut

This haircut works well for:

• Any type of hair loss, from a mild receding hairline to Norwood 5, 6, or 7 hair

• Guys who prefer a shortcut

• Those who don’t want to use many (or any) hair products

A buzz cut is easy to style and even easier to manage. It is a perfect option if you have thinner hair on the top of your scalp. Because your hair is short and your skin is visible, thinning patches on your scalp won’t stand out as much as they would with a longer haircut.

A buzz cut is also a good way to deal with a receding hairline. It makes the entire hairline less evident by reducing the contrast between your forehead and your hair.

If you prefer your hair a little longer on the top than on the sides, you can ask your hairstylist to combine a buzz cut with a fade. Fading your hair can help create a more natural transition from your hairline to the rest of your cut.

2. The Sweep-Over

This haircut works well for:

• Guys with slightly longer hair

• Those who don’t mind a deep side part

Not to be confused with a comb-over, the sweep-over gives hair a lived-in, tousled look — like you just ran your hands through it. This is one of the best haircuts for thinning hair on men because the side part helps conceal a receding hairline.

Some men with thinning hair think they should keep their hair close-cropped (and that does work well for many). But a longer length can offer a counterbalance against thinning hair that makes it look fuller and more voluminous.

3. The Crew Cut

This haircut works well for:

• Guys with a receding hairline

• Men with slightly less thick hair on top

• Those who like to keep things nice and simple

The military-style crew cut is a perfect haircut for balding men or those trying to make a receding hairline less obvious. It reduces the contrast between the temples and the sides of the head, with the shorter sides creating the illusion of a more even hairline.

It’s also one of the best haircuts for balding men on top, as the short sides can balance out any thinning on the scalp.

Most guys who pick a crew cut opt for a classic short hairstyle. However, if you prefer your hair a little longer on top, you can try replacing the short military-style crew cut with a slightly longer high-and-tight haircut.

4. The Mop-Top

This haircut works well for:

• Any type of hair loss

• Those who prefer mid-length hair or a longer length to a short haircut

• Men who want to make their hairline and scalp less visible

Not a fan of short hairstyles for men with thin hair? A classic mop-top haircut is a good option for making thinning hair much less apparent.

Brushing this type of hairstyle forward or across your forehead can also hide a receding hairline with a less obvious look than a comb-over.

One of the nicest aspects of a mop-top is that you can adjust its length to match your tastes, from a classic Beatles style to a shoulder-length shag haircut to something shorter, messier, and easier to manage.

5. The Crop Top

This haircut works well for:

• Men who like to keep their hair short

• Those who don’t want to use products

Longer than a traditional buzz cut but still short all over, the crop top is usually best achieved using an electric razor’s number-two or number-three blade. Ask your stylist to taper the sides in a way that looks natural.

You may want to keep the top just slightly longer to give the illusion of fuller hair. If your scalp is visible on the top, it’s best to ensure your hair is buzzed in a way that makes it also visible on the sides and back.

6. The Slick-Back

This haircut works well for:

• Guys with thicker hair and a receding hairline

• Those who like to look stylish and professional at the same time

• Special occasions or dressing up your typical style

A slick-back haircut is exactly what it sounds like — short sides, with slicked-back hair on the top of the head that covers the crown.

Though a slick-back haircut won’t totally hide your receding hairline, it’s a great way to own it while you make thinning hair on your crown less noticable. We’re sure we’re not alone when we say it’s one of the best hairstyles for balding men.

7. The Caesar

This haircut works well for:

• Men with thinning at the crown

• Those who don’t have noticeable frontal baldness

Inspired by the Roman Emperor, the Caesar is a classic men’s hairstyle characterized by a short, uniform length all over and straight bangs across the front. It works well with straight, wavy, or curly hair and can be worn short or long.

This is one of the best hairstyles for men with thinning hair because the bangs are brushed forward, which can conceal a receding hairline. You can also use gel to add volume and height to the fringe to make thinning hair less noticeable.

8. The Pompadour

This haircut works well for:

• Any type of hair loss

• Diffuse hair thinning

• A receding hairline you’d like to turn into an asset

The pompadour is a classic ’40s and ’50s hairstyle that looks just as good today with a shirt and jeans as it does with a zoot suit and two-tone wingtips.

A pompadour hairstyle has two major benefits when it comes to thinning hair. First, because it’s partially slicked back, it can help hide thinning on the crown. This is ideal if you’re starting to notice a little diffuse thinning and want to make it less obvious.

Second, while the pompadour won’t hide a receding hairline, it can accentuate your hairline as a natural part of your face and turn it into a feature instead of a bug.

The pompadour can be worn with long, medium-length, or short hair. And it can be paired with an undercut or facial hair (’70s sideburns are optional, of course).

9. The Texturized Top

This haircut works well for:

• Guys with curly or wavy hair

• Men with shorter hair whose hair holds a bit of texture

You don’t have to have totally wavy or curly hair to pull off this look — a bit of sea salt or texturizing spray can give hair the grit it needs for this style to look its best. You’ll just need to scrunch the top of your hair when it’s damp.

Typically, a texturized top is cut slightly shorter on the sides and is most voluminous in the center front. You’ll still be able to see a bit of that M-shaped receding hairline, but the extra volume on top provides a nice balance that makes hair look fuller overall.

10. The Quiff

This haircut works well for:

• Guys with a fairly strong hairline and diffuse thinning on top

• Those who want to make all-over thinning less obvious

The quiff is similar to the pompadour, and the cut for a pompadour and quiff are the same. The difference lies in the styling: A quiff is first brushed forward, then up into a wave hairstyle, while the pompadour is combed backward.

The quiff is good for concealing thinning and bald spots around your crown. However, it’s not one of the best haircuts for hiding a receding hairline.

11. The Skin Fade

This haircut works well for:

• Diffuse thinning that mostly affects the top of the head

• Men with receding hairlines they’d like to soften

With a skin fade, the sides and back of the head are cropped down either to the skin or a very short length, while the hair on top is left longer or styled accordingly.

A proper skin fade is an iconic cut for many reasons. Skin fades are among the best haircuts for men with thin hair that’s mostly occurring on top, as well as a receding hairline that’s starting to become a little too glaring.

Some people incorporate a side part (parted from the crown to the temple on one side, with the top kept longer and combed over). Others rock a faux hawk with it or even leave the top au naturel (à la the quiff). 

12. The Buzz and Beard

This haircut works well for:

• Men with thinning hair who like the look of facial hair

• Guys who can grow beards

Yes, a buzzed head is a classic short hairstyle for men with thin hair. But what makes this one different is the addition of a beard, which can do incredible work offsetting a bald head.

Facial hair draws the eyes to the face, which takes the attention off thinning hair. By drawing focus to the beard, you create a balanced look that highlights your facial features, making baldness less noticeable.

The key here is to keep the beard well-groomed — and not drastically longer than the hair on your head. This will define your jawline and cheekbones, adding structure to your face.

13. The Undercut

This haircut works best for:

• Guys with a receding hairline or thinning

• Those who prefer long hair on the top and a shorter-length cut on the sides

The undercut combines shaved or very short sides with scissor-cut hair that’s much longer on top. It’s equal parts dapper and casual, giving you a mix of low-maintenance short hair and longer hair you can style as you please.

The only real time an undercut could cause commotion in the professional world is if you have a dramatic difference in length between the layered cut on top of your head and the hair on your back and sides.

When kept to a shorter length, the undercut becomes a versatile style. You can slick it back or mix it with other haircuts, such as the pompadour or quiff, giving you plenty of control over how your hair looks.

14. The Faux Hawk

This haircut works best for:

• Guys with thinning hair or a receding hairline

• Those who want the focus to be on the center of the hairline, not the temples

A faux hawk features a tapered fade that’s both less dramatic and better overall for men with thinning hair than its older brother, the infamous mohawk. It’ll also probably get more five-star reviews at the office.

A faux hawk combines a smooth fade on the sides of the head with a gentle spiking of hair on top of the head, which can help volumize thinning hair.

15. Flowing Waves

This haircut works well for:

• Men with curly or wavy hair

• Guys who don’t mind the upkeep of slightly longer hair

Blessed with natural waves or curls? Use them to your advantage.

For men with thinning hair, opting for longer hair can be surprisingly effective because the length can create an illusion of volume and fullness. It also provides more coverage and can be styled to conceal thinning areas.

One of the perks of longer hair is that you can pull it into a low bun or ponytail, which helps conceal the look of thinning on top. A stylist can help you figure out how to layer and texturize your hair to increase volume while framing your face.

16. Shaving It All Off

This haircut works best for:

• Guys with significant, obvious hair loss

• Those who like the idea of never having to pay for a haircut again

Sure, it’s the nuclear option, but it works. If you have the confidence to pull off a shaved head and like the way you look without hair, feel free to shave your head once you start to notice your hair thinning.

Shaving it all off isn’t admitting defeat — it’s all about transcending hair loss. Instead of getting a receding hairline haircut, you’re getting rid of your receding hairline altogether, freeing you from the need to care about how your hair looks.

Just remember, shaving your head won’t prevent any further hair loss, meaning you might not have as much hair as you remembered if you ever decide to grow it back out.

No matter what haircut you choose, it’s essential to take good care of your hair. Effective hair care can prevent or limit hair damage, make your head of hair appear thicker, and even slow down the effects of certain types of hair loss.

Whether you go with a balding haircut or something different, use the following tips to make the most of your hairstyle and keep your hair looking its best:

• Avoid heat, which damages your strands of hair. Heat and hair don’t go together, so limit blow drying and steer clear of curling irons, which can expose your hair to heat and reduce its strength.

• It’s also helpful to blow dry your hair carefully. Choose the lowest heat setting and limit the time your hair comes into contact with hot air.

• Choose a reliable shampoo and conditioner. Shampoo and conditioner play critical roles in preventing frizz and keeping your hair strong and healthy, making them worth using regardless of hair type, texture, or hair color.

• For best results, gently massage shampoo into your scalp rather than the full length of your hair, then focus conditioner on the tips of your hair. Consider a dry shampoo if you’re prone to oily hair.

• Avoid hairstyles that pull hair, such as tight ponytails. Significant tugging and tension on your scalp can result in a type of hair loss called traction alopecia. Consider this risk if you want to rock a man bun or dreadlocks.

• Whenever possible, choose light hair styling products like mousse, which is excellent for styling choppy layers and adding volume to wavy hair. 

Our list of men’s hair care tips includes other simple but effective techniques for limiting hair damage, slowing down hair loss, and keeping hair in prime condition.

If you’re struggling with styling your thin hair, don’t lose hope. You have more options than you may think.

Not only can the right hairstyle make a receding hairline or thinning less aparent, but it can also turn it into an asset that emphasizes your facial features and enhances your appearance.

Keep the following in mind when deciding between hairstyles for thinning hair on men:

• There’s no “best” balding men’s hairstyle. Hair loss can vary in type and severity. As such, no single haircut works best for every man with a receding hairline or thin hair on top. 

• Your face shape plays a key role in your choice of haircut. Try to choose a haircut that compliments both your hair and the shape of your face. 

• Don’t be afraid to experiment. The great thing about hair is that it quickly outgrows a bad cut. Try something new, and if a certain style doesn’t work, you’ll usually be able to grow out of it in a few weeks.

While a buzz cut, pompadour, or layered haircut can help hide male pattern baldness, it’s also crucial to treat hair loss at its source.

You can do this by using hair loss medications like finasteride and minoxidil to slow down, stop, and reverse thinning while rocking your favorite cut.

Interested in getting started? Do an online hair loss consultation today. Or learn more about the most effective ways to stop hair loss in our guide to the best treatments for thinning hair.