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What is a Fauxhawk?

Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen

A fauxhawk is a hairstyle similar to the Mohawk. In the hairstyle, the hair on the top of the head, and on the back of the head is shaped into long straight points. Unlike the Mohawk, the fauxhawk does not feature a shaved head except for the center strip of hair. Hair surrounding the fauxhawk can be quite short. However, since the hair exists on the sides of the head, the style is a fauxhawk, or fake Mohawk.

Some have referred to the fauxhawk as having the style of the Mohawk without the commitment to the style. Recording artists like Pink have sported the fauxhawk in the past, and the look became quite popular in the early 2000s. David Beckham of soccer fame is credited with having introduced the fauxhawk to Europe.

Professional soccer players are known for their flamboyant hair styles.
Professional soccer players are known for their flamboyant hair styles.

However, unlike the Mohawk, which was meant to be an anti-social statement, sported by punk rock stars and fans in the 1970s and onward, the fauxhawk was more of a fashion statement. Some new wave artists did sport the fauxhawk in the 1980s, but the hair could be combed down to a less radical appearance as needed.

As well, instead of having straight spiky hair, a variant also called the fauxhawk, was to have a strip of curly hair running down the center of the head. Most however, consider this a bare imitation of the Mohawk or fauxhawk.

To achieve the fauxhawk style, one needs a great deal of hair gel that will stiffen the hair. Some use petroleum jelly instead, which will keep the hair in place, but is challenging to remove from the hair. It can result in greasy hair for weeks.

Many people place the gel in the hair and allow the hair to simply dry in the fauxhawk shape. Ample hairspray may also be required to keep the hair from falling flat. Also, humid conditions can affect the hold of the fauxhawk.

David Beckham was once known for wearing a fauxhawk.
David Beckham was once known for wearing a fauxhawk.

Some people like to use elaborate colors on the fauxhawk section of the hair. Common colors are pink, purple, green and blue. Others prefer black/white contrast and have the fauxhawk section bleached white, while the natural hair remains much darker.

Variants of the fauxhawk include the corpohawk, which is a more business friendly and much less exaggerated version of the hairstyle. The actor, Mr. T wears a "frohawk." His hair curls tightly, and all but the center section of the hair is shaved.

Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen

Tricia has a Literature degree from Sonoma State University and has been a frequent WiseGEEK contributor for many years. She is especially passionate about reading and writing, although her other interests include medicine, art, film, history, politics, ethics, and religion. Tricia lives in Northern California and is currently working on her first novel.

Learn more...
Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen

Tricia has a Literature degree from Sonoma State University and has been a frequent WiseGEEK contributor for many years. She is especially passionate about reading and writing, although her other interests include medicine, art, film, history, politics, ethics, and religion. Tricia lives in Northern California and is currently working on her first novel.

Learn more...

Discussion Comments

OceanSwimmer

I often wonder if styles such as the beehive will come back in style. I was looking through our old family photo box and saw pictures of my mom when she was in her twenties. She had the beehive hairdo. To me, it looked absolutely ridiculous. However, now I see runway models sporting the same hairstyle.

Since my mom has passed away, I enjoy seeing all of the "older generation" styles being worn in these times. I have some of my mom's old clothes and would love to put them on and go into our local Wal-Mart just to see the reaction I would get!

JimmyT

@matthewc23 - That is an excellent point. Today's business world is a lot different than in the past and someone who has a fauxhawk may gain extra brownie points with the client for keeping up with the times. I've always thought that the fauxhawk seemed like a hair style that is the middle road between rebel and conformity. The hairstyle itself speaks of someone wanting to act out, but not wanting to break away from the social norms, like a mohawk would indicate and this allows it to be very acceptable and even liked in the business world.

I have to also agree with the “party” aspect that comes out of the fauxhawk. Unlike, say the crew cut, the fauxhawk gives off an indication that the person may be fun outside of the business environment. This simple indication could immensely help with a business client, who may be looking for someone with a little personality to them.

matthewc23

@jmc88 - That is an excellent point you are making jmc88 but the corpohawk is a rarity and is usually only seen in business environments that approve of that hairstyle. However, the fauxhawk I've always seen as a hip, new hairstyle that is very business friendly.

Times have changed in the business world and hair styles are being taken more seriously by clients nowadays. If someone has a fauxhawk their appearance still gives off a business like attitude but still shows they may have a little "party" in their personality. From a clients’ perspective this hair style can show at first glance that someone could be very professional but also not stiff and rigid and still able to have fun and could help with business deals.

jmc88

Although the corpohawk may be seen as more business friendly there are many different types of business environments that would not approve of having such a hair style.

Although Mr. T is a man who has popularized the corpohawk, he is a celebrity and his hairstyle is part of his persona which people identify him. If someone chooses to adopt the corpohawk as their main hair style they need to keep in mind the type of job they have so they do not get in trouble with their bosses and that any clients they have will take them seriously.

honeybees

I think the fauxhawk style is very attractive looking. This can be done in a stylish way, especially if you don't use any crazy hair colors and go with a natural color.

The amount of gel you use can make a big difference in how "wild" you want to look. When my son had his hair styled this way, it was easy to change the look without getting a new haircut.

He would usually wear it more conservatively to work, but on the weekends would have a completely different look.

sunshined

One thing about wearing your hair in a fauxhawk style is that you don't have to have such a drastic cut to determine if this is really a style that you want to wear.

You have a lot more playing room with the sides, so don't have to make such a major change before you know if this style will work for you or not.

If you work at a place that would not approve of a Mohawk style, yet you want something a little different, this might be the way to go. I always like to take major changes in small steps and this would be the same thing with a major hairstyle change.

Azuza

@SZapper - I think you're taking this mohawk thing a little too seriously. Fauxhawks are fun!

I actually once wore a fauxhawk for a dance performance. I was supposed to be a zebra so a fauxhawk was the appropriate hairstyle. My hair is pretty long though, so instead of having it totally spiked up we teased it. It was sort of like those "bumps" people wear in the front of their hair but going all the way back. It looked awesome, if I do say so myself.

SZapper

Fauxhawks are such a cop out! I know an extreme hairstyle like a mohawk isn't for everyone, but if you're going to do it, I think you should commit to it.

When I was in high school there were a few kids at my school that sported mohawks. I always thought they were really cool and brave. A fauxhawk definitely doesn't have the same effect!

letshearit

Do you need to get your hair specifically cut for a fauxhawk, or is it really just a matter of tossing some hair gel on and shaping your hair the way you want it?

I have been looking at oodles of fauxhawk pictures on the Internet and it is hard for me to tell if the person's haircut is having any impact on how their fauxhawk looks. It seems that a lot of people just have a simple straight cut and that their hair is simply molded in place. On others it looks more like a very specific haircut.

Do you think I should just try gel first, or head straight to a salon with a photo to get the same look?

Sara007

The fauxhawk has been one of my favorite styles for men for ages now. I really think it is a fun look and give the person wearing it more of a style edge. Personally, I think a lot of male haircuts are quite boring and they all look the same. Having a fauxhawk allows the person to show a bit of personality without having to worry about making any permanent changes.

As far as maintenance goes, a bit of hair wax solves the problem of keeping the fauxhawk from going flat. Hair wax is available at most stores that sell styling products and is quite inexpensive. It is much less messy than trying something like petroleum jelly to hold the look.

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    • Professional soccer players are known for their flamboyant hair styles.
      By: Maxisport
      Professional soccer players are known for their flamboyant hair styles.
    • David Beckham was once known for wearing a fauxhawk.
      David Beckham was once known for wearing a fauxhawk.
    • Ample hairspray may be required for a fauxhawk to keep its shape.
      By: m_dinler
      Ample hairspray may be required for a fauxhawk to keep its shape.