A buzz cut is the shortest haircut most men ever ask for: the whole head cut with clippers to one even length, with nothing to comb and nothing to style. In Midtown it is the cut people reach for when the schedule gets ugly, when a flow has stopped working, or when the weather turns humid and they want to forget about their hair entirely.
The short answer for the chair: pick a guard number, say whether you want the sides and neckline faded, and expect about twenty minutes. A buzz cut at Deja Vu Barbershop in Murray Hill is clipper work from a licensed barber, finished with the hot towel neck treatment that comes with every haircut. The rest of this guide covers guard numbers, the low taper version, the textured top version and what to do when you want it all back.
What is a buzz cut and who suits it?
A buzz cut is a clipper cut at a single guard length all over the head, usually between a number 1 and a number 4. It suits almost every hair type, and it suits strong head shapes best, because there is nowhere to hide.
The fit depends on three things. Face shape matters: oval and square faces carry a buzz easily, round faces look longer and sharper with a little more length on top and a faded side, and long faces do better at a number 3 or 4 than at a number 1, which can make the face look stretched. Head shape matters, because bumps and flat spots show. Hair density matters too. Thinning hair often looks better buzzed than combed over, and a short even length makes a receding line look like a decision rather than a problem.
If you wear a suit to work on Park Avenue or a lanyard around Grand Central, a buzz cut reads clean and low maintenance. If you are not sure you will like your skull, start at a number 4. You can always go shorter on the next visit, and you cannot add length back on the day.
How to ask for it
Skip the vague words. Say the number, say the sides, say the neckline. For example: “number 3 all over, taper the neckline, leave the front line natural.” A barber hears that and starts without a follow up question. If you want the edges sharpened, add a line up and edge up, which is a separate $18 service.
What is a 12 guard buzz cut?
Clipper guard sets do not have a number 12, so when someone asks for a 12 guard buzz cut they almost always mean 12 millimeters, which is a number 4 guard, or half an inch of hair left on the head. It is the longest of the common buzz lengths and the safest first try.
Here is how the guard numbers line up, so you can order by number instead of guessing:
| Guard | Length left | What it looks like |
|---|---|---|
| No guard (blade) | Close to the skin | Shaved look, shows every scar and bump |
| 1 | About 3 mm, one eighth inch | Very short, scalp shows through |
| 2 | About 6 mm, one quarter inch | Classic military buzz |
| 3 | About 10 mm, three eighths inch | Short but soft, hides a shadow |
| 4 | About 12 mm, half inch | The “12” most people mean; easy first buzz |
| 5 to 6 | About 16 to 19 mm | Short crop, close to a crew cut |
| 7 to 8 | About 22 to 25 mm, an inch | Short textured top, starting to look styled |
Some barbers cut the top a number longer than the sides, which is how you get that tidy squared look. If you ask for a “number 4 on top, number 2 on the sides,” you have just ordered the beginning of a taper, which is the next style in this guide. For a length that sits a little longer and holds a part, the crew cut is the next step up.
What is a low taper buzz cut?
A low taper buzz cut keeps one even length on top and tapers the sides and back down toward the skin only around the ears and the neckline. It is the buzz cut that looks like a haircut, not a mistake.
The difference from a plain buzz is the finish. With a straight number 2 all over, the hairline at the nape is a hard edge that grows fuzzy within days. With a low taper the neckline fades gently, so as it grows out it still looks planned. The taper starts just above the ear and stays low, which is why office clients like it: it moves with you from a meeting to a dinner without any extra styling. If you want the sides faded harder, see the buzz cut fade options for low and mid versions.
At Deja Vu this sits inside the fade haircut service. Our fade haircuts come in low, mid, high and skin versions at $35, with the hot towel neck finish included. A low taper buzz is simply the low fade done with the top held at one guard. If you want to understand the difference between a taper and a fade before you sit down, the shop has a whole write up on how a taper haircut is built step by step, and the same logic applies here.
Quick order script
- Tell the barber the top guard, for example number 3.
- Say “low taper on the sides and back,” so the fade starts low.
- Choose the neckline: tapered for a soft finish, squared for a hard one.
- Ask for the line up if you want the front and temples crisp.
How do you wear a buzz cut with a textured top?
A buzz cut with a textured top leaves about an inch or slightly more on top, cut with clippers over a comb or with scissors so the ends are broken up, while the sides stay short and tapered. It gives you a little movement without a morning routine.
This is the cut that most men in their thirties end up with after a buzz stops being fun. The top is long enough to push forward, spike lightly or sweep to the side, and short enough to dry in two minutes. It works best on straight to wavy hair of medium density. Very fine hair can look flat at this length, and very coarse curls bounce up, so tell your barber your hair type and let them adjust the top by a few millimeters.
The same structure shows up in a lot of cuts you may have seen around Midtown. A French crop adds a short fringe, and the low taper fade with textured fringe pushes the top a bit longer. If you want the scissor version of a textured top, our classic scissor cuts are $35 and a good match for a longer top.
Styling in under a minute
Work a pea size amount of matte clay or paste between your palms until it warms, then run it through the top from back to front. Keep it light. At this length, too much product just looks wet. Nothing else is needed.
How do you grow out a buzz cut?
To grow out a buzz cut, stop cutting the top, keep the sides and neck tidy with a trim every three to four weeks, and shape the length in stages rather than waiting for it to fall into place. The awkward middle lasts roughly two to three months, and regular tidy ups are what make it bearable.
Here is the staged plan most clients follow:
- Weeks 1 to 4: do nothing to the top. Keep the neckline clean so you look groomed, not neglected.
- Weeks 5 to 8: the top starts to lift and the sides look fat. This is when to book a tidy to taper the sides back down.
- Weeks 9 to 12: the length is long enough to part or push. Ask your barber for a shape, with the sides kept short.
- Weeks 13 and on: you are in flow territory. The full plan for that stage is in our guide to the men’s flow haircut, which was written for exactly this transition.
The mistake is skipping the barber entirely. Without a trim, the sides grow out as fast as the top, and the cut turns into a helmet shape. A short visit every few weeks costs far less than the regret.
How long does it take for a buzz cut to grow back?
Hair grows on average about half an inch, or roughly 1.25 centimeters, per month, so a number 2 buzz is back to a styleable two inches in about four to five months. Growth speed varies by person, age and genetics, so treat it as an estimate.
| Starting point | Roughly how long to reach two inches |
|---|---|
| Number 1 buzz (about one eighth inch) | About 4 months |
| Number 2 buzz (about one quarter inch) | About 3.5 to 4 months |
| Number 4 buzz (about half inch) | About 3 months |
| Shaved head | About 4 to 5 months |
Those are averages, and your own pace may be a little faster or slower. Hair that is cut often does not grow faster, which is a myth worth retiring. What a regular trim does is keep the ends tidy and the shape even as it grows.
If you are deciding whether to go all the way down in the first place, read our piece on whether you should shave your head. It covers the moment when a buzz stops being a haircut and becomes a different decision.
How often should you get a buzz cut, and how do you keep it fresh?
Most men refresh a buzz cut every two to three weeks, because short hair shows growth quickly, especially at the neckline, the temples and around the ears. A number 1 or 2 looks overgrown by week two. A number 4 can stretch to four weeks.
What to do between visits
Wash with a mild shampoo and use sunscreen on the scalp when you are outside, since a short cut leaves skin exposed. Moisturize if your scalp is dry. If your hair is thicker or you work in a dress code that demands sharp edges, the line up and edge up is a quick $18 reset between full cuts, and the Sharp Edge package pairs it with a beard trim for $30.
Wash before the cut or not
You do not need to wash your hair before a clipper cut, though clean hair is easier to work with. We cover the reasoning in our guide on whether to wash your hair before a haircut. Short version: arrive as you are.
Textured buzz for a softer look
If you like the idea of a buzz but not the blunt look of a single guard, a textured buzz mixes lengths on top so it reads softer and moves slightly. It is a good halfway house between a number 3 and a full textured crop.
Get a buzz cut in Murray Hill
Deja Vu Barbershop is at 101 E 34th St, New York, NY 10016, between Park Avenue and Lexington Avenue in Murray Hill. Call (212) 576-1062. We are open Monday to Friday 8am to 7pm and Sunday 10am to 5pm, closed Saturday. Walk ins are always welcome, and you can book online or get in touch if you want a set time.
A fade haircut is $35 and includes the hot towel neck finish. Add a beard trim and grooming for $18, or take the Classic Combo, fade plus beard, for $48. We serve Murray Hill, Kips Bay, Midtown East, Gramercy, NoMad and Turtle Bay, and the 6 train at 33rd Street and Park Avenue is about two minutes away. If you are making the jump from a flow to something shorter, or planning the climb back, start with our guide to the men’s flow haircut.
Questions readers ask
What guard number is a standard buzz cut?
A number 2 is the classic military buzz at about a quarter inch. A number 3 or 4 is softer and safer for a first time.
Does a buzz cut hide a receding hairline?
It often helps, because an even short length makes a receding line look intentional. Ask your barber to keep the front natural rather than sharply lined.
Can I get a buzz cut with a beard trim?
Yes. Add a beard trim and grooming for $18, or choose the Classic Combo, fade plus beard, for $48.
Will a buzz cut make my hair grow back thicker?
No. Cutting hair does not change the follicle, so growth rate and thickness stay the same. Blunt ends just feel thicker for a while.
How long does a buzz cut take at the shop?
Usually about twenty minutes, depending on whether you add a taper or a beard trim. Walk ins are always welcome.