The complete guide to Undercut Styles for women over 50

Who it suits

Women with thick, coarse, or heavy hair who want the volume removed without losing the length. The hidden undercut is also flattering for women whose hair has thinned at the crown — by removing weight from the underside, the top reads as fuller. The cut works on every face shape because the undercut is, by design, hidden.

For the technical specifics of how this cut is structured, the full stylist's reference on short-hair architecture is a worthwhile companion read.

How to ask for it

Specify how high the undercut goes (just above the nape, ear height, or temple height), how wide the undercut section is (a small panel, half the head, or full sides), and the clipper guard length (1, 2, or 3). The longer top layers cover the undercut completely when down and reveal it only when the hair is pulled up.

What to expect at the salon

30 to 45 minutes for a touch-up. Pricing is similar to a pixie — $60 to $120 in most US markets — because the clipper work is fast.

Salon pricing varies dramatically by region. We keep an updated national salon-pricing guide if you'd like a sense of what to budget in your city.

Maintenance and the grow-out

A clipper touch-up every 3 to 4 weeks on the hidden section. The top can wait 8 to 10 weeks. Growing the undercut out is invisible — within four to six weeks it has blended back into the surrounding hair.

For deeper context on growing this cut out gracefully, our long-form grow-out diary tracks the awkward stages month by month.

Styling at home

Lift the top section, mist the underside with dry shampoo, then drop the top layers back into place. From there, style the visible top however the cut suggests — round-brush smooth for a bob, finger-tousled for a pixie. The hidden undercut does the weight reduction; you don't need to fight it.