Hair that keeps sticking up usually has one of five causes: a cowlick (a spot where hair grows in a spiral), a cut that left that spot too short, sleeping on damp hair, short new hairs growing back, or static in dry air. Find yours by checking where and when it sticks up — then use the fix for that cause. A cowlick can’t be removed, but it can be tamed: blow-dry it while damp in the direction it wants to go, keep enough length on it, and finish with a product that has a strong hold.
Most advice lists the same tips for every case. That’s why “grow it longer” and “cut it shorter” often appear side by side. Both can be right — for different causes. Start with the table below.
Where And When Does It Stick Up? Find Your Cause
| What you see | Likely cause | What helps | Barber or bathroom? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Always the same spot — usually the crown or front hairline — and you can see hair swirl around a point | Cowlick (hair whorl) | Blow-dry it damp in its natural direction, enough length to lie down, strong-hold product | Both: ask the barber to leave length on the whorl |
| Started right after a haircut, at the crown or front | Whorl area cut too short to lie flat | Let it grow a little; style with the growth direction meanwhile | Barber, next time |
| The whole top puffs up or won’t lie in any direction | Thick or coarse hair at an in-between length | Blow-dry into shape, heavier product, or a cut that removes bulk | Barber first |
| Fine in the evening, wild in the morning | Bed head: hair dried in the shape you slept in | Fully re-wet the area and blow-dry; don’t sleep on wet hair | Bathroom |
| Short, wispy hairs along the hairline or parting | New growth (after shedding) or broken hairs | A light cream or gel; time. See regrowth | Bathroom; dermatologist if you are losing hair |
| Flyaways in dry, cold weather or after taking off a hat | Static | A little leave-in or styling cream; avoid over-drying | Bathroom |
Most men have more than one cause at once — typically a cowlick at the crown plus bed head in the morning. Work through them in order: cut, then blow-dry, then product.
Cowlicks: Why You Can’t Get Rid Of Them
A cowlick is the everyday name for a hair whorl: a patch where hair grows in a circle around a central point. Your whorl pattern is set before you are born — a 2023 genetics study in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology notes it is established between 10 and 16 weeks of gestation, and a 2024 twin study (PMID 37913994) concludes that whorl formation is genetically determined, with some influence from environmental factors.
Two practical consequences:
- No product, cut or technique removes a cowlick. You can only make the hair around it lie the way you want.
- Its direction doesn’t change. Researchers describe the direction of a single whorl as highly stable within a person, so once you know which way yours turns, you can style with it every day. In one study of 317 young men, about three in four whorls turned clockwise.
A double crown (two whorls) is less common — Healthline, citing the U.S. National Human Genome Research Institute, puts it at about 5 percent of people. There is no research showing that a double crown means you will go bald.
How To Stop Hair Sticking Up: Fixes By Cause
1. Get the length right at the problem spot
This is where “grow it out” and “cut it short” stop contradicting each other:
- Medium-length styles: keep enough length on the cowlick for the hair to bend over and lie down under its own weight. Ask your barber to leave the whorl area longer and to remove weight around it instead of cutting into it.
- Very short styles: a buzz or crew cut makes a cowlick hard to notice because nothing is long enough to stand up.
- The problem zone is in between: hair that is long enough to stand up but too short to lie down. That’s why a cowlick often looks worst a week or two after a cut — see our guide to a haircut that’s too short.
Barbers disagree on the right length, and we found no source that gives a reliable number — it depends on how thick and coarse your hair is. Tell your barber where it sticks up and let them judge the length on your head.
2. Blow-dry it while it’s damp
Water temporarily loosens the bonds that hold hair in shape; as it dries, the hair sets in its new position. That’s why towel-dried hair that you leave alone sets in whatever shape it happens to be in — and why blow-drying is the most effective fix for a cowlick.
- Start with fully damp hair at the problem spot. A quick splash isn’t enough.
- Use a concentrator nozzle, medium heat and medium speed.
- Brush or comb the hair in the direction the whorl wants to go, and follow the brush with the dryer. (Some barbers first dry it against the growth and then back with it to get more control at the root.)
- Keep the dryer moving so you don’t overheat one spot, and finish with the cool setting before applying product.
3. Choose a style that goes with your growth direction
Let your hair dry without styling once and look where it falls. Part on the side it naturally falls toward, and place the parting or the direction of a quiff so that it follows the whorl instead of crossing it. The sides usually grow downward; if yours grow sideways, style them sideways. To keep the sides down, see how to flatten hair on the sides of your head.
4. Stop bed head before it starts
- Don’t go to bed with wet hair — it dries in the shape of your pillow.
- In the morning, re-wet the problem area properly and blow-dry it (step 2) instead of pressing it down with water.
- Silk or satin pillowcases are often recommended to reduce friction. The evidence is anecdotal, but they are harmless to try.
5. Calm static flyaways
Dry, cold air and wool hats make hair more prone to static. A small amount of leave-in conditioner or styling cream smoothed over the flyaways usually settles them. A light hairspray on your brush (not your head) also works for a quick fix.
6. Or make it look intentional
A textured, slightly messy style — like the one below — makes a few raised hairs look deliberate. Hair that sticks up at the crown can also be hidden under a slicked-back style once you have the length; it takes some time to train hair to slick back.
Which Product Holds It Down?
If your hair stands back up 30 minutes after styling, the hold is too weak. Use the product after blow-drying, not instead of it.
| Product | Hold | Finish | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gel | Strong, sets firm | Shiny or wet look | A stubborn cowlick in a neat, fixed style; washes out easily |
| Clay | Strong, restylable | Matte | Thick hair and textured styles |
| Pomade (oil-based) | Medium to strong, stays pliable | Shiny | Slick backs and side parts; harder to wash out |
| Pomade (water-based) | Medium to strong | Shiny to medium | Side parts; easier to wash out than oil-based |
| Styling cream | Light | Natural | Static and short wispy hairs, not cowlicks |
| Hairspray | Light to strong | Natural | Locking the finished style in place |
Short Hairs Sticking Up After Hair Shedding
According to the American Academy of Dermatology, shedding 50 to 100 hairs a day is normal. After a stressful event — such as an illness with a high fever, an operation, losing 20 pounds or more, or a period of heavy stress — many people shed more than that for a while, usually starting a few months later. Once the body readjusts, the shedding stops, and hair tends to regain its normal fullness within six to nine months.
While that hair grows back, you have many short hairs that are too short to lie down and stick up along the hairline and parting. That is part of the normal recovery and settles as they grow. A light cream or gel keeps them down meanwhile.
See a dermatologist if you are losing hair in patches, your hairline or crown is thinning, the shedding goes on for months, or your scalp itches, flakes or hurts. A dermatologist can tell whether it is shedding or hair loss.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my hair stick up at the back?
The crown at the back of the head is where most people have their hair whorl, so hair there grows in several directions at once. Leave more length on it, blow-dry it damp in its natural direction, and use a strong-hold product.
Why does my hair stick up after a haircut?
Usually the hair at a whorl was cut to a length that is long enough to stand but too short to lie flat. It typically improves as it grows. Next time, show your barber the spot and ask them to leave it longer.
Do cowlicks go away?
No. The whorl pattern is set before birth and stays stable. Longer hair and the right styling make it much less visible, and with very short hair you may not notice it at all.
How do I make my hair stick up on purpose?
Do the opposite of the advice above: blow-dry upward or against the growth direction at the root, then work in a matte, strong-hold product such as clay and shape the hair with your fingers.
About our sources. Facts about hair whorls come from the genetics and twin studies linked above. The information on hair shedding comes from the American Academy of Dermatology. Styling steps and product advice are our editorial recommendations, not medical advice. If you are worried about hair loss, see a dermatologist.
Axel Lander is the founder and editor of ReadySleek. He publishes practical guides on men’s style, grooming, and fragrance, with a focus on clear comparisons, value, and the trade-offs readers should know before deciding.
