While a cowlick can sometimes create extra work when styling, they aren't all bad. And if you're a stylist, sometimes you can use them to your advantage, especially if they are in right place that accentuates a client's haircut. Cowlicks can, at times, serve to make the hair appear fuller and have more body.
Cowlicks are a natural part of your hair's growth pattern, and you can't get rid of them. With that said, you can definitely make them less noticeable and easier to manage. There are ways to tame or hide these pesky strands so they blend more seamlessly with the rest of your hair.
Usually, cowlicks are simply hereditary, caused by your genes. They can also happen after a serious head injury, surgery, or even if you've shaved your head. That's because this can affect the way your hair grows.
In conclusion, while cowlicks themselves do not necessarily get worse with age, the changes in hair density, texture, and health can make them appear more prominent or behave differently. By understanding these changes and how to manage them, individuals can maintain their desired appearance and confidence.
First, a cowlick is a natural, normal feature of your scalp that occurs as a result of your genes. Most people are born with a specific hair whorl, meaning this feature rarely changes over time.
According to hair expert Jean Will of NiaWigs, an oily scalp makes your hair look thinner because a buildup of excess oil at the base of your hair follicles causes strands to clump together. “Greasy hair looks thin because of its oily look,” she said.
Cowlicks result from the hair follicle's angle, causing hair to grow in a spiral pattern. While they can be a styling challenge, cowlicks don't indicate hair loss or balding. The most common characteristics of cowlicks include: Visible spiral or circular hair growth pattern.
Use a Combo of Styling Products And a Hair Dryer to Make Cowlicks Less Visible. Combine the effects of heat, pressure, and hold to bring your cowlick under your control. Blow drying your hair (or using a flatiron) and using pomade, gel, wax, and other strong hold products can help tame cowlicks for most of the day.
In >95% of humans, there is a single hair whorl on the scalp, and in the rest of humans there are two whorls (Figure 1); more than two whorls are extremely rare.
A slicked-back ponytail is not just a classic hairstyle, it can also help conceal a cowlick. If you really want to make sure nothing sticks out, opt for face-framing strands, which will help to cover your temples and the sides of your face.
Though cowlicks can sometimes mimic thinning hair, they aren't an early sign of balding.
When you compare normal hair crown vs balding, you'll notice that a healthy crown has thick, dense hair coverage with a barely visible spiral pattern. In contrast, a balding crown begins to show more scalp visibility and a widening of this spiral pattern.
It's advisable to leave the hair slightly longer if you are dealing with cowlicks. The weight of long hair can serve to calm the cowlick and make it less noticeable. This is a big plus. However, if long hair isn't your client's thing, there are styles that you can buzz and take them right off.
Overwashing Your Hair
The more you wash your hair, the quicker it may seem to need another wash. If you rinse your hair of its natural oils too frequently, your scalp could be amping up oil production, which means greasier strands in record time.
Since your cowlick is the result of your actual hair growth, no amount of brushing, combing, “training” your hair, or whatever will change that forever, but with a one-two punch of the right products and styling techniques, you can get that sucker to calm down a little.
These patterns are present from birth and often stay consistent throughout life. However, changes in hair density and texture as we age can make cowlicks appear more pronounced.
“Cut your cowlicks down or use a product. I'd suggest a thicker pomade in the Redken Brews line.” Redken Brews is Redken's dedicated range for men. Its cream pomade is water-based and offers medium hold with a smooth finish—perfect for flexible styles and keeping your cowlicks in place.
Bed head can be prevented by tying hair up while sleeping, using a humidifier in the bedroom, avoiding sleeping with wet hair, brushing hair before bed, and avoiding hair accessories that can dent or tug on hair, according to stylist Raven Hurtado.
Many start to notice the early stages of male pattern baldness by their 30s, but they may begin as early as your late teenage years or early 20s. Hair loss on your crown usually appears in a circular shape.
Because a cowlick can disrupt your hair's flow and make it harder to style, it can often result in the appearance of hair loss — but it's not. We promise. In certain ways, dealing with a persistent cowlick can be like going through a never-ending bad hair day, as no style seems to “stick” or look quite like it should.
In one experiment, he found that 50% of folks who are lefties or ambidextrous have a counterclockwise whorl pattern, suggesting that hand preference and cowlick rotation may develop from a common genetic mechanism.
Generally, he says, the range is somewhere between once a day and once a week. “If you have very fine or thin hair, you may need to wash more often, while those with thick or curly hair may need to wash less often,” says Dr Elizabeth Bahar Houshmand, a double board certified dermatologist and hair health expert.
Excessive washing
Over-washing can make your hair look greasy because it strips the hair of its natural oils. This loss of natural oils causes the body to overcompensate by producing more sebum. Over-conditioning can also lead to greasy hair because it weighs down the hair and this in turn increases oil production.
While your hair might look thinner when wet, it's actually not. However, because your hairs stick together when they're soaked with water, it's common for issues like male pattern baldness to show up — or at least become more visible.