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The best beard styles for bald men are short beards, medium-length boxed beards, and full beards with clean structure. These styles balance a bald head by adding definition to the jaw and lower face, creating a look that feels intentional rather than compensatory. Structured goatees can also work for bald men when kept sharp and proportional.
Rule of thumb: a bald head looks best with a beard that adds structure at the jaw without flaring wider than the skull.
For bald men with beards, facial hair becomes the primary way to control shape, contrast, and visual weight. The goal isn’t maximum length — it’s choosing the right beard style and length for your face shape, lifestyle, and maintenance tolerance. Whether you prefer short stubble, a medium beard, or a fuller look, the most successful bald and bearded styles rely on clean lines, balanced proportions, and consistent grooming.
Below, we break down the best beard styles for bald heads, how long they should be, and which options work best.
TL;DR: Short to medium-length beards with clean, structured lines work best for bald men because they define the jawline and balance a bald head without overpowering the face.
Why Beards Work So Well on Bald Men
The bald head and beard combination works because it restores visual balance to the face. Removing hair from the scalp draws attention upward and exposes the full head shape. Facial hair counteracts this by adding structure and weight to the lower face, particularly around the jaw and chin.
For most bald men, facial hair decisions come down to three factors.
Jaw definition. A beard replaces the framing effect hair once provided. Even short stubble can sharpen the jawline and create stronger facial edges.
Face shape correction. Beard length and width can subtly adjust proportions. Length elongates rounder faces, while added fullness can balance longer or narrower ones.
Maintenance realism. The best beard for a bald head is one you can maintain consistently. A well-kept shorter beard often looks better than a neglected longer one.
Done correctly, a bald and bearded look appears confident, masculine, and modern. Done poorly, it can feel unintentional. The difference is structure.
How to Choose the Right Beard Style for a Bald Head
Before choosing a specific beard style, apply these rules. They matter more than trends or inspiration photos.
1. Match Beard Shape to Face Shape
Face shape determines how beard volume should be distributed.
Round face: Go slightly longer through the chin and tighter on the sides to add length.
Square face: Use fuller cheeks and softer lines to avoid exaggerating sharp angles.
Long face: Avoid excessive length. Add width through the sides to maintain balance.
These principles apply whether you are choosing a short beard for a bald head or growing something longer.
2. Decide Where You Want Visual Weight
A bald head already creates a strong top line. The beard should either support that strength or balance it.
Reinforce it: Short, tight beards and heavy stubble create a clean, minimal look.
Counterbalance it: Medium to long beards add visual weight to the lower face and soften contrast.
Neither option is better. The goal is intentional proportion.
3. Be Honest About Maintenance
Some bald beard styles look excellent for a few weeks and fall apart quickly without upkeep. Choose a style you can trim, line up, and maintain regularly. Consistency matters more than ambition.
Bald Head & Beard Styles
Slightly Shaggy Beard
One of the most uncomplicated bald beard styles to maintain, slightly shaggy beards have always been a staple in the beard community. The hardest part is getting to the initial length it takes to qualify as a shaggy beard.
You can let slightly shaggy beards grow as long as you want, but make sure you never trim them enough to be sharp. You want it mildly disheveled to give off the desired uncaring vibe, but not enough to look dirty and depressing.
Full Beard With Bald Head
A full beard with a bald head is probably the most common beard style for men. You might not want to go all the way with long beard styles, but you can get the same fullness by growing it a bit longer than short beard status.
There will always be certain beards styles that compliment your face shape more than others, but full beards are a rare exception that pairs well with most guys.
Long Beard Styles For Bald Men
Long beards have always been around due to their timeless, respectable look. If you have Viking blood, belong to a motorcycle club, or only love that long beard look, long beard styles might be for you. They’re perfect for more round faces since they add length and are guaranteed to boost your masculinity.
The juxtaposition between a fully bald head and a long beard style also creates an attractive tapered shape especially if you have a more spherical skull.
Short Beard Styles For Bald Men
We spoke fondly about long beards, but you can find a lot to love about short beards too. These are perfect for men with more oblong faces as it compliments your natural contours without extending them. Maybe you want some lazy-man fuzz to give you an effortlessly sexy flair or a classicly grown-in short beard to look more mature and stately.
Not only are there tons of looks to experiment with, but it also doesn’t take long before you can play around with new short beard styles. It won’t take long to grow one, so maybe give some short beard styles a shot and compliment them with the right pair of glasses for bald men.
Thick Beard For Bald Men
Thicker beards mean a more mature look. For most, it takes years of shaving to grow a thick beard. It’s worth the wait because they look sick long or short.
Thick beards often come with age (unless you’re one of those guys who had a full beard by high school). If you still struggle with a patchy beard, try upping your beard grooming game or opt for a sexy stubble.
Chin Curtain For Bald Men
Chin curtains are another versatile beard style for bald men. They work best on diamond face shapes and strong jawlines since they bring out the naturally strong angles of the wearer. To truly fulfill this look, it’s important to create a full connection along your jawline from ear to ear. Chin curtains can run as short as you want.
However, don’t go pencil thin because you can ruin the hidden-chin effect. At least an inch and a half thick is the best width for a chin curtain. You can go full Abe Lincoln and grow it out as long as you want, but it isn’t necessary.
Two-Day Stubble Beard
One (incredibly important) study concluded that women find heavy stubble the sexiest style of facial hair a man can have. It was made public in the 2013 issue of Evolution and Human Behavior. The study compared the opinion of women on clean shaves, light stubble, heavy stubble, and a full beard. Heavy stubble was declared sexiest, while light stubble was least attractive.
Two days should be enough for most men to grow some heavy stubble, but avoid a five-o-clock shadow at all costs. To easily maintain the two-day stubble beard, you can buy electric trimmers with attachments that leave your stubble the perfect length.
Goatee Styles for Bald Men
Bald men with goatees can make the look work, but precision is critical.
The most successful options include:
Thin or undergrown goatees rarely complement a bald head. A bald head and goatee only works when the facial hair looks deliberate and well-defined. Find our favourite examples below.
Stubble Goatee
Even though stubble goatees are the little brother of classic and full goatees, they can accomplish the same effect. While they don’t look as mature as their siblings, they can make quite the fashion statement. A stubble goatee tells people that no matter how short your facial hair is, you’re still willing to take the time to refine your style.
If you want a look that benefits from the sexiness of heavy stubble but stays controlled, you should consider stubble goatees.
9. Classic Goatee
It can be easy to confuse full goatees and classic goatees, but there is one key difference between the two; the classic goatee does not have a mustache while the full goatee provides the look most think of when they think of goatees. A classic goatee can also benefit from a soul patch since it adds to the fullness effect.
Diamond and rectangular faces will benefit from the absence of a soul patch as it brings the attention away from the mouth and toward your excellent chin (lucky you).
Full Goatee
A full beard can look excellent on a bald head, but only when it is shaped deliberately.
This style works best for men with strong, even growth density. Regular trimming is essential, particularly through the sides. Avoid letting the beard flare wider than the head, which can disrupt balance. This is where bald beard fashion succeeds or fails based on grooming discipline.
Chinstrap Goatee For Bald Guys
A chinstrap goatee is what it sounds like: a chinstrap attached to a goatee. A versatile bald beard style that works on most face shapes and ages. Begin with a full beard, then shave your cheeks and everything below your jaw while keeping the strap along your jaw. And there you have it.
Like most chin straps, you want it to be at least an inch to an inch and a half thick. Keep your mustache connected or disconnect it. Regardless, you’ll have some excellent facial hair.
Pointed Beard
The 2007 film 300 brought pointed beards to the pop culture masses and Male fashion as a whole. Many people considered pointed beards to be the peak of masculine facial hair. They also work great on bald heads. Round faces will also benefit from the sharpened, face-lengthening (think, thinner) effect.
Full And Rounded Beard
Full and rounded beards are a great style for men with round skulls or weak jawlines. Rounded craniums will benefit from a beautiful symmetry that draws stares whether you’re at the bar or the office. For guys with weak jawlines, this beard will help to hide that fact.
For an effectively rounded beard, the mustache and beard must stay disconnected. It takes some meticulous styling to get the shape you want, but we think it’s well worth it. An added boost of confidence for any bald man, full and rounded beards might be the way to go.
Circle Beard With Shaved Head
Circle beards are so synonymous with goatees that most guys don’t know the difference. A circle beard is a type of goatee, but not all goatees are circle beards. In a circle beard, the chin and mustache must stay connected. It looks handsome and distinguished when worn by most bald men.
To get a circle beard, follow the same steps as other goatees. Just make sure chin straps stay out of sight and keep that stache connected.
Manicured Stubble Beard
Like the stubble goatee, manicured stubble beards are another perfect way to show you care about your appearance while keeping your facial hair length to a bare minimum. Trim up the edges of your stubble beard to make it sharp, the outline more refined, and enjoy having a sexy manicured stubble beard.
While not the same laid-back look as two-day stubble beards, it still carries that classic sex appeal. Also, manicured stubble is more acceptable at the workplace, creating a more polished look.
Hipster Beard With Mustache
Hipsters have been the butt of many jokes over the years, but it’s hard to deny they brought with them some excellent trends in fashion. One persistent look has been the hipster beard with a mustache.
If you’re considering a hipster beard with a mustache, then you might want to refine the look with a pointed or curled handlebar mustache. You’ll look like a gunslinger from the wild west while impressing onlookers with your new swagger.
Scruff Beard Styles for Bald Men
Some people might look down on the idea of scruff, but with proper execution, it’s anything but ugly. Catch it past the two-day stubble mark, but not before it’s a short or full beard. If you want a sweet scruff, you’ll have to wait a week minimum.
Remember to make sure not to let it get too puffy. If a scruff gets too long, it starts to look uncared for in a way that is decidedly unattractive (unless you’re the type of guy who pulls off any style).
Mustache
Nope, not a beard, but mustaches are a vastly important force in the world of facial hair. There are plenty of mustache styles to try out, but in recent years, long, curled, and pointed handlebar mustaches have all enjoyed popularity. Avoid a shorter, overly thick mustache unless you want a 1980s era Tom Selleck look (unless that’s what you’re going for).
Mutton Chops
Mutton chops are full sideburns that flow down to the jaw. They rest somewhere between chin curtains and the imperial mustache. Mutton chops can accompany a stubbly chin, but the stubble must be short enough to not look like part of the beard. Popular in the Victorian era, mutton chops fell into obscurity until the 1970s, when they made a comeback.
This style might not be as popular as decades past, but it remains a distinct look. Perfect for creating a more powerful jawline and showcasing the chin, mutton chops are great for rectangular or diamond faces. Think Hugh Jackman as Wolverine.
Balbo Beard Style
Recently worn to classy effect by Robert Downey Jr. in his role as Iron Man, this beard screams style. Know that you either need a good barber or a precision trimmer and steady hand because this beard can be tough to keep up.
Start with a full beard and shave your sideburns completely. To pull off the Tony Stark look, trim the jaw strap to be thicker below the chin and taper to a sharp point at the end of your jaw. Keep your chin slightly longer, rock the soul patch, and disconnect the mustache to complete this look.
Beard Style Trends for Bald Men
This year, beard trends emphasize structure and restraint rather than bulk.
What works now:
- Medium-length beards with tight cheek lines
- Short beards with sharp necklines
- Natural texture with minimal over-shaping
The modern beard style men are wearing prioritizes proportion and cleanliness. On a bald head, controlled shape matters more than dramatic length.
Common Mistakes Bald Men Make With Beards
Several mistakes consistently undermine otherwise good beard growth.
- Letting the beard grow wider than the head
- Ignoring neckline placement
- Choosing length without considering face shape
- Growing a beard instead of styling one
A good beard for bald men looks designed. A neglected one looks default.
Beards Styles for Bald Men FAQ:
What are the best beard styles for bald men?
Personal tastes vary, but the pound-for-pound best beard for bald men of all facial structures and lifestyles might be the classic full beard. Full beards should never be long enough to become unruly and are easy to maintain. Guys who hate extra grooming shouldn’t be scared off. They’re the perfect all-rounder beards for bald men everywhere.
Is it sexy to grow a beard if you’re bald?
Growing a beard is absolutely the best (and easiest) way for any bald man to get sexier. Some beard varieties are more suited for different face shapes than others, but beards will always compliment a bare head generously.
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