N
Luxe Prestige Chronicle

whats a cowlick

Author

William Harris

Updated on June 17, 2026

A cowlick’s spiral pattern is likely caused because hair gets confused about whether it needs to go forward, backward, or to the side, and some hairs get caught in between creating that characteristic whorl, explains Barak.

Can you get rid of a cowlick?

You can’t get rid of a cowlick permanently, but you can temporarily hide it, smooth it, or disguise it.

What does cowlick hair look like?

What is a Cowlick? A cowlick is a natural hair growth pattern that is different from the pattern of the rest of your hair. Oftentimes, it appears as one section of hair on the top of the head that sticks straight up or is growing in the opposite direction as the rest in a “hair whorl”.

Is a cowlick a bald spot?

While a cowlick can give an appearance of balding, there is one way to tell whether it is a natural anomaly or an early sign of balding. In short, the answer is miniaturization. Hair loss – whether caused by stress, DHT, or illness – can lead to a process known as hair miniaturization.

Are cow licks inherited?

It’s true. And once you’re born with a cowlick, you’re pretty much stuck with it… unless you lose your hair! Scientists who have studied cowlicks believe your genes play a big role in determining how many cowlicks you have and where they are on your head.

What does two hair swirls mean?

Your hair that grows from this point in your scalp is arranged in a circular formation that’s called a “whorl.” When you have two “whorls” at the crown of your head, it’s called a “double crown.” Having a double crown has been associated with everything from certain health conditions to being especially intelligent.

How do you say cow lick?

Tips to improve your English pronunciation:

Break ‘cowlick’ down into sounds: [KOW] + [LIK] – say it out loud and exaggerate the sounds until you can consistently produce them.

Can a barber remove a cowlick?

Consult a Professional

If you want to fix a cowlick, then just get yourself to a barber or salon. Novel idea, we know, but if you let a professional handle it, then he or she can snip, texturize, or train the hair in a way that minimizes the cowlick—or perhaps removes it altogether.

Do waves cause balding?

Do waves make you bald? Waves do not make you bald but if the waves are formed from chemically-treated products, hair is weakened and with time, hair loss is inevitable. To avoid this problem, brush your waves using naturally-formulated products and tools.

At what age does balding start?

Half of the men in the world experience hair loss by age 50. About 70% of men will lose hair as they get older. And 25% of bald men see first signs of hair loss before age 21. “Recent advances offer a lot of hope in both treating and preventing different types of baldness,” says dermatologist Amy Kassouf, MD.

Are cowlicks normal?

According to celebrity hairstylist Marshall Lin, almost everyone has a cowlick. Some even have more than one, but it’s not obvious since the weight of the hair pulls it down. Genetics plays a large role in cowlicks. Research from 2003 suggested that right-handed people have cowlicks that are in a clockwise pattern.

What is the origin of the word cowlick?

cowlick (n.)

also cow-lick, “tuft of hair out of position and natural direction,” 1590s, from cow (n.) + lick (n.). Because it looks like a cow licked your head.

Where did the word cowlick originate from?

The term “cowlick” dates from the late 16th century, when physician Richard Haydock used it in his translation of Gian Paolo Lomazzo: “The lockes or plaine feakes of haire called cow-lickes, are made turning upwards.”