The summer heat can be very harmful to your hair, particularly if your hair falls within the “thick, black hair” category. The thickness of the hair makes the scalp more likely to heat up, causing heat damage to the hair, and leads to the possibility of dehydration.

To those problems, the Mohawk may very well be the solution. It is not only functional; it will set you apart from the crowd in any situation.

The origin of the modern Mohawk is often attributed to the Filthy Thirteen — a military unit of 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the United States army — whose part Native-American leader Jake McNiece encouraged his troops to get the Mohawk haircuts and put on war paint as a morale-building exercise. Later, through the prevalence of pop and rock stars sporting the bold ‘do, the Mohawk became increasingly popular.

As with all trends, though, the popularity of the Mohawk has sometimes waned. But, with such celebrities as Jada Pinkett Smith, Keri Hilson and, of course, Bajan superstar Rihanna often opting for the edgy ‘do, its resulting resurgence was inevitable.

Because regular and careful shaving or trimming is required for the maintenance of the clean line between the shaved and unshaved (or short and longer) options, the style is sometimes considered high maintenance.

Certainly, the new Mohawk craze is not overlooked by hair enthusiasts here on The Rock, with far more females — especially among the young, hip set — making the daring decision to experiment.

The Mohawk is highly touted for its versatility because it lends itself — pending preference — to a wide range of looks in varying styles and degrees of intricacy. And even if the cut or shave is not for you, variations of the faux hawk can serve as great alternatives. Today, Mohawks are customised with braids, curls, and, for added drama, fashioned in a kaleidoscope of colours.

There are endless options on how to style your Mohawk, and with summer being here, certainly a nifty a new hairdo might be just what you need to keep up with the times.

If you’re looking to turn heads this summer, a bold hair statement might just be the perfect way to go about it. And, for now, at least, the Mohawk is quite possibly the loudest of this summer’s trends, and is a great way of averting some of the heat.

Here’s a look at the hottest Mohawk variations for you to consider.