The Parametric Hairstyle Generator simplifies hairstyle creation in Houdini by using guide data and simplified workflows for efficient control over hairline shape, follicle placement, and region-based styling.
Place the tool in the workspace and connect it to the standard output nodes (strands_out, skin_out, skin_vdb_out and guides_out).
Debug Mode
Debug Mode provides a visual breakdown of the data layers used by the Hairstyle Generator. It helps inspect how densities, masks, and regions, guides and hairs contribute to the distribution across the scalp.
None disables debug visualization.
Current Generation Data displays statistical data for the current generation mode selected.
Include Previous Generation Data displays data for the current and previous Generation Modes. This mode reports key statistics including total follicle count, guide, strand and point count for evaluation and debugging.
Display Skin enables visualization of the base head mesh used as the follicle generation surface.
In Guides, Hair, or Fine Hair generation modes, Debug Color lets you visualize strand colors, optimization heatmaps, and guide colors by region.
Default Guides and Hair Color displays guide and hair color.
Optimization Heatmap visualizes evaluation cost using color intensity, starting at green for curves with 3 control points and reaching red for 255 control points.
Regions colors the guides based on their assigned region.
When the Generation Mode is set to Hair, the option to Display Guides on Hair will be visible, allowing the guide curves to be viewed over the strands.
Hairstyle Generator
Generation Mode specifies which stage of the hairstyle generation process is being viewed or edited. Each mode exposes parameters and visualization options relevant to that specific step.
Hairline
Hairline defines the frontal, temporal, sideburn, and nape contours that control where follicles are generated near the perimeter.
Forehead
Forehead Style selects the base profile for the frontal curvature.
Forehead Variation changes the version of the style of the hairline.
Shape Contour adjusts the scale along the frontal curve.
Shape Position moves the entire shape of the curve along the skin.
Forehead Height changes the position of the curve vertically along the forehead.
Corner Position moves the position of the corners of the frontal region.
Temple Position adjusts the placement of the temple horizontally along the head.
Sideburns
Sideburns Style defines the outline of the sideburn area.
Sideburns Variation changes the version of the style of sideburn.
Shape Contour controls the overall size of the sideburns.
Shape Profile defines the outline of the sideburns.
Shape Height changes how far down the follicles for the sideburns will generate within the defined hairline.
Sideburns Length adjusts how far down the skin the sideburn follicles will generate.
Nape
Nape Style defines the overall nape shape, ranging from round to square.
Shape Contour controls the scale, adjusting to create either a pointier or wider shape.
Shape Profile modifies the curve to be more convex or concave relative to the hairline profile.
Nape Height controls how high or low the nape sits on the neck.
Nape Width adjusts the horizontal width of the nape, from narrow to wide.
Parting and Region provides control over how the hair is divided and allows customization for those regions.
Parting Line defines the way the hairs are divided on the scalp.
Partline Position sets the horizontal position of the top parting line.
Partline Rotate sets the rotation angle of the top parting line.
Noise Amplitude controls the intensity of noise applied to the line.
Noise Frequency sets the density of the noise pattern.
Noise Frequency sets the density of the noise pattern.
Noise LOD adjusts the level of detail in the noise pattern.
Noise Offset shifts the noise pattern along the line for variation.
Back Partline Side sets the horizontal position of the back parting line.
Preserve Back Line Base maintains the base shape of the parting line during adjustment.
Region Sizes allows for size adjustments of the Top, Back, and Bangs regions.
Top Height sets the vertical size of the top region.
Bangs Height defines the height of the bangs region.
Back Width sets the width of the back region.
Bangs Height sets the size of the bangs region.
Region Frontiers
Region Blur smooths transitions between regions to create softer boundaries in follicle distribution.
Follicles
Follicles defines the distribution of hair roots on the scalp surface, serving as the base for guide generation.
Density controls the overall distribution of follicles across the scalp.
Global Density Ratio scales total follicle count uniformly for the hairstyle.
Seed sets the random sequence used during follicle scattering.
Hairline Blur controls the amount of blending applied to the hairline, softening the transition between the hairline and skin.
Region Blur smooths transitions between regions to create softer boundaries in follicle distribution.
Customize Density per Region enables independent control of follicle density across different scalp regions. When active, density values can be adjusted separately for the top, sides, sideburns, and back areas. Each region also includes its own Seed parameter to randomize follicle distribution.
Balding defines the thinning pattern of follicles on the scalp. The following parameters are available for both the Forehead and Crown areas.
Influence controls the overall strength of the balding effect in the selected area.
Position controls the overall strength of the balding effect in the selected area.
Size defines how large the affected area is.
Contrast adjusts how sharp or gradual the transition is between dense and thinned regions.
Noise adds randomized noise patterns to the balding follicles.
Noise Size sets the scale of the noise pattern.
Ear Nape defines the area around the ear.
Ear Nape Amplitude controls the magnitude of the mask around the ear.
Blurring Iterations smooths transitions around the ears to create softer boundaries in follicle distribution.
Masking provides localized control over specific areas of the scalp, allowing fine adjustments to density and blending in regions such as the hairline, sides, and mohawk. These masks help refine the transition and definition of style-specific zones. Masks are visible by using the “Follicle and Curve Data” Debug option.
Display on Guides selects which follicle mask to visualize on the guide curves.
No Mask displays all guides without any masking.
Hairline Mask highlights guides within the hairline region.
Side Fades Mask highlights guides within the side fade region.
Mohawk Mask highlights guides within the mohawk region.
Masks are also visible in the “Follicle and Curve Data” Debug option.
Hairline
Forehead Fade Distance sets the width of the fine hair region along the frontal hairline.
Nape Fade Distance sets the width of the fine hair region along the back of the neck.
Side Fades
Fades Height sets the vertical size of the faded region along the sides of the head.
Fades Distance controls the width of the fade transition.
Fades Bias shifts the midpoint of the fade gradient to adjust how the transition is distributed.
Fades Style selects the falloff type used for the fade transition.
Mohawk
Size determines how large the mohawk region will be along the vertical center line on the head.
Size Contrast controls the sharpness of the transition of the sides of the region.
Length determines how far down the mohawk region will end.
Length Contrast controls the sharpness of the transition of the region.
Guides
The Guides parameters control the generation and distribution of guide curves, which define hair direction, shape, and interpolation for strand generation. These settings determine how many guides are created and how they are scattered across the scalp surface.
Guides Density controls the percentage of guides generated.
Guides Seed sets the random sequence used during guide scattering.
Master controls parameters provide global adjustments for guide length, volume, and variation. These settings act as high-level modifiers that affect the overall form of the hairstyle.
Length Master sets the overall guide length for the hairstyle.
Volume Master controls the overall volume of the hairstyle.
Variation Master – Long Hair adjusts the amount of shape variation for long hair regions.
Variation Master – Short Hair adjusts the amount of shape variation for short hair regions.
Region Controls
Hairstyle selects the guide orientation style. Options include Parting, Pulled Back, and Pulled Forward. These styles can be applied to the entire hairstyle or individually to each side.
Apply to All applies the selected settings to the entire hairstyle.
Apply to Right Side applies the selected settings to the right side of the hairstyle.
Apply to Left Side applies the selected settings to the left side of the hairstyle.
Bangs Variant enables or disables bangs.
Regional controls for Bangs, Top, Sides, Back, and Sideburns define how guides are styled within different regions of the scalp. Each region includes parameters for Length, Volume, and Variation for Long Hair and Short Hair.
Within each region, individual guide orientation options define the directional behavior of the guides. Available options include Parting, Pulled Back, and Pulled Forward.
Blending Pass Through enables blending across adjacent regions, preserving continuity where regional boundaries meet.
Blending Master controls how guides blend across regions and neighboring areas to ensure smooth transitions.
Blend With Neighbors enables blending of guides between adjacent regions.
Blend Across Parting allows blending across the parting line for smoother transitions.
Blending Distance Master sets how far the blend extends from the boundary.
Blending Strength Master controls the overall intensity of the blending effect.
Crops and Fades
Crops and Fades defines cropping controls for trimming guides in specific regions. Masks for these operations are managed at the follicles stage.
Custom Planar Crop activates a user-defined crop plane for custom trimming.
Display Crop Plane shows the crop plane in the viewport for visual adjustment.
Crop Height sets the vertical position of the crop plane.
Z Rotation rotates the crop plane around the Z-axis.
X Rotation rotates the crop plane around the X-axis.
Fade Length determines the length of the cropped hairs.
Fade Falloff adjusts the falloff of the fade influence.
Can be applied to All, All but Bangs, or Bangs Only
Mohawk Fades
Mohawk Fades Length controls the length of the cropped hairs of the mohawk.
Mohawk Fades Falloff adjusts the falloff of the mohawk fade influence.
Side Fades
Side Fades Length determines the length of the cropped hairs on the sides.
Side Fades Falloff adjusts the falloff of the side fade influence.
Hairline Fades
Hairline Fades Length determines the length of the cropped hair around the hairline.
Hairline Fades Falloff adjusts how gradually the fade transitions to the skin.
Forehead Influence defines how much of the frontal hairline is affected by the fade.
Nape Influence defines how much of the nape region is affected by the fade.
Guide Styling
The Guide Styling parameters control additional shaping of the guides, influencing curling behavior, volume adjustments to roots, and bending to tips. These settings define how guides curl and vary in volume before strand interpolation.
Guides Tuft and Curl
Tuft and Curl enables curling parameters, allowing control over tuft formation and curl behavior through the settings below.
Tufts Density controls the number and spacing of tufts generated along the scalp.
Tufts Thickness sets the thickness multiplier for tufted guides.
Preserve Tight Tips maintains compact curl formation near the tips.
Curls Size defines the amplitude of curls along the guides.
Curls Frequency determines how tightly curls repeat along each guide.
Influence by Length controls where the curling is applied, from all guides to only the longest guides.
Curls Position defines where along the guide the curl begins, from root to tip.
Roots and Tips Adjustment
Roots Volume adjusts the amount of lift or compression at the hair roots, ranging from sleek to pushed up.
Tips Bend controls the direction and curvature of hair tips, allowing adjustment from inward or outward bending to forward, backward, left, or right orientation.
Hair Styling
Hair Styling displays the generated strands created through guide interpolation and provides parameters to adjust their visual appearance.
Clumping controls how hair strands group together into clumps.
Clumping Influence sets the overall strength of the clumping effect.
Length Influence distributes clumping based on strand length.
Along Strands defines the clumping profile along the length of the strand.
Clumping Noise adds variation to the clump distribution.
Noise Seed changes the random pattern of the applied noise.
Clumping Size sets the relative size of each clump, from larger to smaller groupings.
Clumping Seed controls the randomization pattern for clump placement.
Influence Along Strands determines clumping intensity along the curves, from roots to tips.
Hair Noise applies noise to hair strands to create variation.
Noise Influence controls the overall strength of the noise.
Noise Seed sets the randomization pattern for noise generation.
Amount controls the intensity of the noise effect, from flyaways to scraggliness.
Frequency sets how often the noise pattern repeats along the strand.
Influence Along Strands determines where along the length the curves are affected.
Coil Mode applies a coiling effect to the strands by twisting them along the length. The mode can be set to None, Soft, Normal, or Strong (Slower).
Coil Amplitude controls the intensity of the coiling effect applied to the strands.
Length Influence determines the length range of the strands to be affected by the coiling, from shortest to longest hair.
Tips Volume adjusts the magnitude of the tips independently from the rest of the coil.
Coil Frequency sets how many coil repetitions occur along the length of each strand.
Coil Seed defines the random seed used to generate variation in coil distribution.
Coil Randomness randomizes the size of the coiling along the strands to create variation.
Look Dev
Look Dev defines visual attributes for color and width.
Hair Color sets the color gradient applied from root to tip.
Hair Width controls the overall width of the generated hair strands.
Width sets the base strand width.
Randomness creates random width variation per strand.
Random Seed controls the randomization pattern for width variation.
Tips controls the width of the strand ends.
Tip Thinning adjusts how fine the strand ends become toward the tips.
Length Influence (Tip Thinning) controls where tip-thinning is applied, from all hair to only the longest.
Length Breakups modulates strand length near the tips to introduce subtle variation and break uniformity.
Length Influence (Breakups) controls where length breakups are applied at the tips, from all hair to only the longest.
Hair Lattice
Hair Lattice enables lattice-based deformation controls for shaping the hairstyle.
Activate Lattice enables the lattice system for interactive deformation in the viewport.
Lattice Options provides parameters for managing lattice visibility, influence, and reset controls.
Display Lattice Helpers shows visual lattice guides in the viewport.
Regions to Lattice selects which regions of the hairstyle are affected by the lattice. Options are All, Exclude Bangs and Bangs Only.
Max Influence sets the maximum strength of the lattice deformation.
Influence Along Curves controls how the deformation influence is distributed along the hair length, from all the hair to the tips.
Influence by Length scales lattice influence based on strand length.
Influence Contrast adjusts how sharply the lattice effect falls off within its influence range.
Reset Lattice Controls resets all lattice parameters, with options for specific sides or regions (All, Left Side, Right Side, Top, Bot, Front and Back)
Apply to Guides to enable guide deformation.
In the viewport, press Enter to activate the tool and Esc to exit. If display issues are present, select Labs > Reset Viewport.
Fine Hair
The Fine Hair parameters control the generation of finer strands. These options help refine transitions and add subtle variation along hairlines and part lines.
Forehead, Nape and Parting define strand length and density parameters for fine hairs along the hairline, nape and part line.
Max Length defines the maximum strand length for each zone.
Density Blur Distance smooths the transition along the hairline and partline.
Count controls how many strands are generated within each region.
Noise
Noise Influence controls how strongly random variation affects fine hair strands.
Width
Width sets the overall strand width for the fine hairs.
Color
Color Mode defines how color is assigned to fine hair strands.
Copy Hair Root Color applies the color from the root of the main hair strands to the fine hairs.
Copy Hair Color matches the overall strand color from the primary hair groom.
Custom Color allows a manually defined color to be applied to the fine hairs.
When Custom Color is selected, the Color option allows you to set color, from roots to tips.
MH Groom Export
Groom data will be exported as Alembic files with this tool. It allows for exporting individual groom assets, not bulk files. Source the Groom Workspace with the Parametric Hairstyle Generator.
In the Groups tab under the Group Identifier - Group Name (UE5) the entire groom will be exported into a single group_id 0. The name attribute will output the main group by default.
For using specific groups that the Hairstyle Generator outputs select the Group Identifier Manual mode. This will allow for separate or combined group_id(s) for the bangs, buzz_cut, finer_hair, main, and sideburns groups.
Groom is ready to be exported to Unreal Engine under the Groups - Output.
For additional information on the MH Groom Exporter.