Male pattern baldness, a receding hairline on the forehead and a bald area on the back of the head, can be caused by genetics and related to the hormone testosterone.
The Temple Fade, also known as the Brooklyn Fade or Low Fade, is a type of short haircut for men in which the hair falls from the skin to about 0.5 inches (1 cm) in length, starting at the temples. This extreme taper cut tends to have the hair longest on the top and back of the head, and is extremely narrow along the back and sides. It originated in salons that catered to specific ethnic subcultures. Temple fade doesn’t work well for men with sparse hair or a very rectangular face, but it can flatten round faces and people with large facial features.
Hairline notching can begin as hair loss on either side of the forehead.
This haircut goes by many different names and can be confused with other styles. This and many other taper cuts can simply be called fades. The temple fade is sometimes called a blowout or Philadelphia fade and should be discussed at length with the stylist before cutting. While the style itself always has some basic characteristics, the degree and severity of discoloration varies significantly from stylist to stylist.
Any temple fade will taper from the hairline to the temples in the front. In most examples, the style includes longer hair on top of the head, from a short distance above the eyebrows to the nape of the neck. The hair at the nape of the neck and above, behind and in front of the ears is cut close to the skin. Some examples extend the longest area slightly backwards.
This haircut originated in salons and barbershops that catered to Americans of Italian, Indian, and Mexican descent, as well as Somali Americans and many African Americans. By the mid-2000s, the temple fade had become popular outside of its original ethnic subcultures and was a dominant style in the United States. Temple fades are the most popular in the northeastern part of the country.
Not all men can wear a temple fade well. The gentle taper of this haircut emphasizes a receding hairline or other signs of male pattern baldness, and the close-cut shape can make a square or rectangular head look even more angular. Men with oval faces look good with faded temples, as do men with round faces, as long as the hair on top is a bit longer or slightly textured. Because faded cuts keep hair away from the face, they can also serve to draw attention away from large facial features or a low forehead.