The buzz cut is the only haircut with no middle ground. There is no easing in, no growing it out gradually, no “just take a bit off” — there is before and there is after, and after lasts about three months.
What decides whether it works is not style but anatomy: head shape, hairline, ear position, and how much contrast there is between hair and skin. None of that is visible in a photo of somebody else, which makes this the single highest-value preview on the whole site. Grades one through four are all here.
Buzz & Crew Cuts on the blog
Every one of these was rendered on a real photo. Open any of them to try the same style on your own selfie.
Pick a number, not a word
Clipper guards are the only unambiguous vocabulary in hair. A grade 1 is about 3 mm, a 2 is 6 mm, a 3 is 10 mm and a 4 is 13 mm. “Short” means nothing; “a two on top, one on the sides” means exactly one thing.
If it is your first buzz, start at a 3 or 4. You can go shorter in the same sitting after you have seen it, and that is a far better order of operations than the reverse.
| Grade | Length | Scalp shows | Good first step |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 / skin | 0-1.5 mm | Yes | No |
| 1 | 3 mm | Slightly | If you are sure |
| 2 | 6 mm | Barely | Yes |
| 3 | 10 mm | No | Yes — safest start |
| 4 | 13 mm | No | Yes |
| Crew cut | Longer on top, tapered | No | Yes |
What a buzz cut reveals
Short hair shows the things hair was hiding: head shape, scars, the exact position of your hairline and any thinning at the crown. That is not a reason to avoid it — a buzz is often the best possible answer to thinning hair — but it is the reason a render on your own photo is worth more here than on any other cut.
Buzz & Crew Cuts in 30 seconds
Which Hair Color Fits Your Face? AI Knows — more on our YouTube.
Skin and upkeep
Buzzed heads need sunscreen from day one and a moisturiser if you shave to skin. Upkeep is a clipper at home every two to three weeks, which makes this the cheapest haircut on the entire site after the first appointment.
Related styles
- Fades & Tapers
- Pompadour, Quiff & Slick Back
- Textured Crop & Caesar
- Long Hair for Men
- Beards & Moustaches
- All men's haircuts & beards
Questions people ask
What buzz cut number should I ask for?
A grade 1 is roughly 3 mm and shows the scalp; grade 4 is about 13 mm and still reads as hair. If you are unsure, start longer — you can always go shorter in the same appointment, never the other way.
Will a buzz cut suit my head shape?
That is precisely what a render answers and a chart cannot. Flat spots, hairline shape and scars all show at grade 1 and hide at grade 4. Compare two grades on your own photo.
What is the difference between a buzz cut and a crew cut?
A buzz cut is one length all over. A crew cut keeps a little more on top, tapered shorter towards the back, so it still has a shape you can style.
Try any of these on your own photo
Every example on this page was rendered with AI4Hair. Upload a selfie, pick the style, and see it on your own head shape and hairline in a few seconds — before a stylist touches anything.
Get it on Google Play · Download on the App Store · ai4hair.co