Fade vs taper: what's the difference, and which words to use at the barber
Both words describe hair that gets shorter toward the bottom of the head. The difference is how much of the head it covers, and how short it goes. Barbers do not all use the words in exactly the same way, so the safest request names the guard numbers too.
Taper vs fade in one line each
- Taper: only the edges are shortened, at the sideburns and the neckline. The sides keep most of their length, and the scalp usually does not show. It grows out gently.
- Fade: the sides and back are blended from longer hair down to very short hair, often to bare skin, over a larger area. The contrast with the top is stronger, and it usually needs a tidy-up sooner.
You will also hear taper fade. Most barbers use it for a fade kept low and close to the edges: somewhere between the two. Ask your barber what they mean by it, or skip the label and give the numbers.
Low, mid, high and skin fades, with guard numbers
The height says where the shortest part stops. The guard numbers say how short it starts and how long it blends into. Millimetres are from the FitMyFace barber card's guard table; guard sizes vary slightly by brand.
| Ask for | Where the short part stops | Example from our cards |
|---|---|---|
| Low fade | Just above the ears and the neckline | #1 (3 mm, 1/8 in) to #3 (10 mm, 3/8 in) |
| Mid fade | Around the middle of the sides, about level with the temples | #1 (3 mm, 1/8 in) to #3 (10 mm, 3/8 in) |
| High fade | High on the sides, near where the head turns to the top | #0 (1.5 mm, 1/16 in) to #2 (6 mm, 1/4 in) |
| Skin fade | Starts at bare skin (foil shaver or open blade); can be low, mid or high | bare skin up to #3 (10 mm, 3/8 in) |
A bigger jump between the two numbers, or a higher fade, gives more contrast. Sides at one guard all over, such as a #3, is not a fade at all; ask for a tapered neckline if you only want the edges cleaned up. The clipper guard numbers chart has every guard from #0 to #8 in millimetres and inches.
Put it on your barber card
The FitMyFace barber card has a Fade setting (no fade, low, mid, high or skin) and a separate Neckline setting (natural, tapered, blocked or rounded). There is no "taper" fade setting: on the card, a taper is the neckline set to tapered, with no fade or a low one on the sides. Of the 67 hairstyles in our catalog, 20 start with a fade on the sides (13 low, 2 mid, 3 high, 2 skin), and 28 start with a tapered neckline. These lines are copied word for word from the cards; the values are suggested starting points, and your barber adapts them.
A taper: Classic side part
Sides: #3 (10 mm, 3/8 in) all over, no fade, keep the corners.
Back: #3 (10 mm, 3/8 in) all over, no fade.
Neckline: tapered.
A low fade: Classic taper fade
Sides: low fade, #1 (3 mm, 1/8 in) to #3 (10 mm, 3/8 in), keep the corners.
Back: low fade, #1 (3 mm, 1/8 in) to #3 (10 mm, 3/8 in).
Neckline: tapered.
A mid fade that drops behind the ear: Drop fade
Sides: mid fade, #1 (3 mm, 1/8 in) to #3 (10 mm, 3/8 in), keep the corners.
Back: low fade, #1 (3 mm, 1/8 in) to #3 (10 mm, 3/8 in).
Neckline: tapered.
A skin fade: Buzz cut with fade
Sides: skin fade, bare skin up to #3 (10 mm, 3/8 in), keep the corners.
Back: skin fade, bare skin up to #3 (10 mm, 3/8 in).
Neckline: tapered.
To change one into the other, open the card and edit the Sides, Back, Fade and Neckline settings. The try-on has no fade-height slider, so the picture may not show every change. The card records the look you want and starting measurements; your barber checks and adjusts the final cut. The picture is illustrative.
Pick a cut and set the fade on its card
Curly and coily hair
The same guard can look different on curly or coily hair than on straight hair, and the blend shows differently too. The catalog's Curly top fade and Afro taper cards keep the length on top and fade or taper only the sides, nape and temples. Ask your barber to judge the blend on your own hair.
FitMyFace hair previews are approximations, not predictions of how your hair will lie after a cut. Ordinary hairstyle try-ons perform face analysis on-device. The optional AI previews (hair and glasses) send a photo to Cloudflare; your consent is the one "I agree" on the scan screen, and a switch on the results turns them off. FitMyFace is for adults 18 and over and is not available in Illinois.
Questions
Which grows out better, a taper or a fade?
Usually a taper, because less hair is taken very short. A skin fade shows regrowth soonest, so it needs the most frequent visits to look the same.
Is a low taper fade the same as a low fade?
Often, but not always. Some barbers keep a "low taper fade" to the sideburns and neckline only, others take it around the whole head. Say the guard numbers and point to where you want the short part to stop.
Can I ask for a fade on longer hair?
Yes. A fade only changes the sides and back, so the top can stay as long as you like. The card keeps the top length as its own line.
Not sure how to say the rest of the cut? See what to tell your barber. Looking at a named cut with clippered sides? Compare the Edgar cut and the mod cut.
Two catalog cuts with a fade have their own pages: the classic taper fade and the high fade.