51 Short Haircuts And Styles Perfect If You Have A Thick Head Of Hair

Anybody sporting a head of thick hair knows the struggle of finding a good cut and style. The wrong shape can leave your hair looking triangular, and if your hair is textured, that just adds a whole different variable to the equation. If you tend to keep your thick hair on the longer side, you probably stick to the same cut and style options. But what about when you want to go short?

Yes, your thick hair can definitely pull off a short cut. Short cuts are especially popular in the warmer months, but when you find one you like, we wouldn't be surprised if you find yourself sporting it all the time — after all, they're typically easier to maintain, too. Before you get your thick hair cut short, there are a couple of things to consider. Note that any texture you have in your hair will be more defined after a short haircut because you won't have as much length weighing your hair down. You also may find yourself styling it more frequently (unless you rock a bedhead look), so if you love the style you leave the salon with, ask your stylist about the products they used and be sure to grab some on your way out. Getting some maintenance tips from them wouldn't hurt, too, especially if this is your first time with a short cut.

Want to get a short cut on your thick hair? Here are 51 of our favorite short haircuts and hairstyles perfect for thick hair.

If you have thick hair, you're probably used to sporting some layers. When you want to go short, just opt for shorter layers! A layered short cut will keep your hair from looking triangular, and if you want, you can add some face-framing bangs into the mix. This is an especially good look for those with textured hair. 

Yes, thick-haired friends, you can indeed pull off a pixie (though it may take more styling than you're used to). A standard pixie would suit you perfectly well, but you could also go longer on the top to style it in a swoop or pull it forward. 

If you have curly hair, you may have thought you could never pull off bangs. We're here to tell you that's not true, friend. Curly cuts can pull off a great set of bangs, as long as you know how to cut them. Get your hair cut by a curly hair specialist for best results, and keep in mind that your curls will dry shorter than they look while wet. 

Do you sport a head of beautiful, thick 4c curls? The next time you head to the salon, go in for a layered twistout. The twistout style is especially flattering on your curl pattern, and giving it some layers is a great way to make sure it retains a nice shape. 

When you want to go a bit more daring with your short hair, go in for an asymmetrical angled bob. Asymmetrical bobs offer a delightfully edgy take on the classic angled bob. If you end up liking one side of the bob more than the other, just apply that cut to both sides of your head the next time you head to the salon.

If you're wanting to go in for a pretty even cut with no layers, you might be worried about it looking too simple. If you have thick, straight hair, give your short bob some beach waves to add some texture to your look.

On the other hand, a layered look can benefit from curls, too. Give your layered locks some attention with a curling wand for a polished curly bob, or let your natural curls (or waves) shine for a more rugged look. Pair this cut with a pair of slightly curled bangs, and you've got a chic look you won't ditch anytime soon.

Want a punk-rock short haircut that's just as unique as you are? Shave it. Get half of your head shaved and leave the other half (and the back) long for a style that'll have you looking like you just got done playing a rock concert. 

This short haircut is unique and can be hard to pull off, but if you have a round face, you may find it works perfectly for you. The next time you go to the salon, opt for a bob that angles up towards your cheeks, and get brow-length bangs that cut straight across your forehead. 

If you want a pixie but don't want your luscious locks to go to waste, get a pixie that sports longer layers on top. This will let you keep the volume you love while getting some of the weight of your hair off of your head and neck. 

If your hair is suitable for an afro, go ahead and sport a short one. Short afros are stunning on any face shape and offer a cooling style for the warmer months. Before you get it cut, make sure you go to a stylist with plenty of experience cutting natural hair. 

Your afro doesn't have to be short — you could also go for a longer afro if you want. If you're worried about styling a longer afro, you don't have to wear it all out, all the time. Clip some of it down into a side part on the days when you need to add some interest to your look.

If you love your curly hair and are worried that getting a pixie will mean sacrificing it, don't be. Go ahead and get that short pixie — but keep some curls on top, and sweep them to the front to show them off. Not everybody has the head of hair to show this off, so if you do, you have every right to flaunt it.

A common misconception is that your short cut has to be perfectly polished to pull it off. We believe the contrary — a perfectly tousled head of hair also makes for an amazing bob style. Sport some bedhead waves when you want to look like you just rolled out of bed this cute.

A grown-out pixie cut, though still short, offers plenty of versatility when you want to switch up your look. If you choose to get your hair cut into the popular "bixie" cut or you're growing out your pixie, go ahead and give it a side part every once in a while when you want to show off some volume. 

If you want a modern, messy cut that's genuinely easy to roll out of bed with, opt for a short, layered shag. This is an especially good short style for those with thick hair, as the shorter layers will add to the volume and keep your hair from looking boxy. 

Similar to a shag cut but slightly more mullet-esque is the trendy wolf cut. The wolf cut is shorter in the front and longer in the back without being a full-on mullet, and is a great option when you want to keep some weight off of your head without losing all your length.

Shaggy cuts don't have to reach your shoulders — take it all the way up to your chin, if you want. A chin-length, layered shag is a cute take on the standard bob and pairs perfectly with some messy, shaggy bangs. Tousle it with some texture spray for a particularly great bedhead look.

Is an angled bob a little too Shiv Roy for you? Make it a little edgier when you cut it short enough to show off an undercut. Shave the underside of your hair and cut the rest into a short, angled bob that hits at the bottom of your earlobes for a look that'll have everyone talking. 

If you want to go even shorter than a bob, opt for a pixie and give it an undercut. Aside from giving you a welcome rough-around-the-edges appeal, going for an undercut can go a long way in keeping the heat off your neck in hotter months. 

We love undercuts, but sometimes you love the texture of your hair even more. If you don't want to compromise too much of your natural texture, give your pixie cut a bit of a longer undercut. This will show off some of your natural hair and is also a great style option if you're considering growing out your undercut.

For an undercut that's fun to see and extra fun to wear, go ahead and shave a pattern into it. Patterned undercuts are a great, unique way to express your own personal style, and they can be relatively hidden or shown off depending on how you wear your hair (and how long you keep it). 

We're all about the classic French bob, and personally, we think it looks especially good on thicker hair. A thick French bob offers endless style variations — pair it with some bangs and wear half of it in a top knot for an effortlessly cute look.

If you're worried about keeping dimension and visual interest with shorter hair, don't be. A shorter cut can be delightfully heightened when you add some color to the mix. Go for a couple of shades of a bold fashion color, or keep it simple by just adding in some highlights. 

Sometimes thick pixie cuts can be a bit unruly. Especially if your thick pixie is a bit on the longer side, you might be wondering how to style it on a day-to-day basis so bedhead isn't the norm. If this is the case for you, try spiking it! Bonus points if it's a fun, subtle fashion color, like the purple above. 

Of course, if you want to go big or go home, you can always pull off a shaved head look. This is a great look to go for if you want something completely different from the look you normally sport, and while it can be pulled off by anyone, it looks especially flattering on faces with defined angles.

If you want to go for a pixie cut, don't hold back — but don't shave any of it off, either. Keep your hair grown-out-pixie-length for a look that's especially juicy on curly hair. You'll probably find yourself embracing the chic, messy look on most days, and we love that for you.

If an afro is more your style, we think you should go all out with it. Short, thick hair in an afro is a statement look that will only emphasize your confidence. To go the extra mile, dye it a bold fashion color when you want to be noticed. 

Sporting a head of thick 4c curls doesn't mean you always have to wear them out in an afro, though. When you want to keep it out of the way, go ahead and tie it back into a big top puff. This will let you get some hair out of your face while keeping all of its volume.

When you want a short, low-maintenance look that's a bit outside the norm, take your hair and dreadlock it. Turning your hair into dreadlocks is a process (both in doing and undoing it), so it's definitely a commitment, but it's a great option for those looking to manage otherwise unruly hair.

If you have a head of beautiful 4c curls, natural or twisted out, and want to give some fun shape to it, go ahead and give it a middle part. Don't flatten down the top, as you'll want to retain some volume to keep your hair's shape. 

In case you missed it, French bobs are back in style, and we think anyone can rock one — even thick, curly-haired girls. You'll have to be okay with embracing your natural volume, but even a couple of barely-there layers (and some bangs, obvi) can keep this cut from looking boxy.

It can sometimes be a difficult task to style thick, short hair — it's too short to pull back into a bun or ponytail, leaving you with seemingly few options other than to just leave it down. But you can always opt for a short, low braid, which looks especially good on thicker hair.

If you don't want to go quite to afro-length (or want to grow out an afro you already have), try growing it out into a layered bob. Layered bobs will sit flatter on the head than an afro, but you don't have to sacrifice all the volume — add in some layers to keep your hair from looking triangular.

Sometimes you just want your hair to look on the longer side, even though it's really not. If this sounds like you, give a shoulder-length cut some shorter, very defined layers. The layering will create the illusion of length, without the burden of having more hair.

We get it, we get it — short hair requires a good amount of upkeep, and that might not be the name of the game for you. So go for that pixie, and when it starts to grow out, embrace the trendy bixie cut, which is a sort of bob/pixie hybrid. 

If you opt for a pixie that's shorter in the back, longer in the front, go ahead and turn the front portion of your bangs into a braid that runs across your head when you need to get your hair out of your face for a bit. This is also a great formal look if you're sporting shorter hair. 

If your hair is short enough and stays pretty curly, you may be able to sweep some of your curls forward to make some cute curly bangs. Keep them long enough so you can pin them out of the way when you don't want to show them off.

Since it will be hard to tie your short hair back, you're probably already thinking of innovative ways to keep it out of your face. If this is your impending dilemma, go ahead and stock up on a few cloth headbands before you hit the salon — trust us, you'll thank us later.

Sure, you won't have as much hair as you normally do when you cut it short, but that doesn't mean you can't boast an ultra-colorful look. Don't be afraid to add a bright color or two to your shorter hair to add some dimension to your look.

If you decide you eventually want to go back to having longer hair, you'll have to grow out your short cut. That can be a daunting idea, but the key to making it as seamless as possible is to embrace the mess. Figure out how to rock a textured bedhead style, and it'll be easy to grow out that pixie.

When your short, thick haircut needs to give a more polished, office-ready vibe, go ahead and style it into a modern bouffant. Modern bouffants don't boast as much volume as the bouffants of old, but they're still an elegant way to keep your short hair in place as you go throughout your day.

As we've already mentioned, you'll probably find yourself embracing the bedhead look more than once if you decide to go short. Sometimes you may be able to just roll out of bed and go on your merry way. On rougher days, it's a wise idea to have some styling product on hand in case you need to tame your bedhead just a little.

Nobody said afros have to be big and bold. If you're interested in embracing a lower-key afro that doesn't attract as much attention, just rock a short afro. This style will give the standard afro a bit more of a modern vibe while still keeping all of its character.

Thick-haired gals, if you're scared of getting bangs, we totally get it. Bangs can be a daunting experience, especially if you've never had them before. Lucky for you, big, fluffy bangs are relentlessly in, and we think you should embrace them and go for it the next time you go in for a cut.

If you have short, thick hair and you want to add some serious texture to it, go ahead and turn it into ringlets. If you have natural ringlets, we're jealous — if you don't, try some hair rollers or a small curling wand to achieve this effect. 

If you used to think ombré hair could only be pulled off on long locks, think again. That's right — short hair can pull off this popular color trend, too. Giving your hair an ombré dye can also create the illusion of length on your short hair.

If you're going in to get your longer hair cut for the first time in a while, keep in mind that any texture your hair has will be emphasized when it's cut, as it won't have as much length to weigh it down. This makes a short cut a great opportunity to highlight your natural waves or curls.

If your hair is particularly short and you need to keep it out of the way, weave as much of it as you can into some short French braids. You may have to do multiple to keep all your hair back, but we think the phrase "the more, the merrier" applies here.

While we're on the subject of braids, if you're always wanting to keep an afro out of your face, go ahead and braid half of it back into tiny cornrows. This is a relatively permanent, low-maintenance way to keep your hair out of your face 24/7 while still showing off its natural texture and volume.

Short 4c curls are stunning when left alone, but sometimes you want to give them a more polished look for everyday wear. If this sounds like you, a low puff is a great option. Slick back the top of your hair to get rid of flyaways, and tie the rest of it back into a low puff for an effortlessly sleek look.