Your First Fade: What to Expect Before, During and After

How short to go the first time

Go lower and less short than the photo that made you want a fade. A low or mid fade that bottoms out at a 0.5 guard or a shadow, rather than bare skin, shows you what a fade looks like on your head without exposing the whole scalp.

You can always go shorter on the next visit. Going the other way takes weeks of growth, and that is the one regret we hear most from first-timers who jumped straight to a high bald fade.

If you are torn between a fade and something softer, a taper only shortens the sideburns and neckline. Our fade vs taper comparison lays out the difference, and clipper guard numbers explained tells you what each number means in millimetres.

The appointment, step by step

A fade is built in stages, from the bottom up. This is roughly what happens once you sit down.

1. Consultation: you and your barber agree on where the fade starts, how short it gets at the bottom, and how long the top stays.
2. Top first or last: depending on the barber and style, the top may be trimmed first to set the target length.
3. Guideline: the shortest length is cut around the bottom of the head, following your hairline and head shape.
4. Building up: longer guards are used in bands above it, each slightly higher than the last.
5. Blending: the barber works the lines between bands with lever changes, a detailer and short flicking strokes until no step shows.
6. Lineup: the front hairline, temples and sideburns are edged, usually finished with a razor.
7. Finish: at Markcutit that means a hair wash, hot towel and head massage, then styling.

What it feels like in the chair

Mostly it feels like vibration and a little tickling. Clippers buzz against the skull, which some people find relaxing and others find odd for the first minute.

The foil shaver or bare blade near the bottom can feel scratchy, especially around the ears and at the nape where skin is thinner. The razor on the lineup is a light scrape, not a sting, as long as you keep still.

Your barber will tilt and turn your head a lot. Let them move it rather than helping, and keep your chin where they put it. That small habit makes the blend more even.

The first few days after

Your head will feel noticeably cooler, particularly in an Ontario winter, and you may catch yourself running a hand over the sides. That novelty wears off in a few days.

The skin at the bottom of the fade can be slightly pink or tender for a day, more so if you went to skin. Avoid scratching it, skip harsh aftershave splashes, and use a gentle cleanser. Our haircut aftercare guide covers the first week, and why skin gets irritated after a haircut explains bumps and redness.

Around day seven to ten the shortest band starts to soften and the contrast drops. That is normal, not a sign of a poor cut; it is just how fast the bottom of a fade shows growth.

Planning your second fade

Your second fade is where you fine-tune. After living with the first one for a couple of weeks, you will know whether you want it higher, tighter, or with more length on top.

Take a photo of the fresh cut from the side and back, and another when it starts to grow out. Showing both on your next visit tells your barber exactly what you liked and when it stopped working.

Most people who like the look book every two to three weeks; the journal piece on how often to get a haircut breaks down timing by style. When you are ready, book a Haircut Only through our skin fades service.