Growing Out a Buzz Cut: The Week-by-Week Guide
A buzz cut takes roughly 10 to 12 weeks to grow into a short, styleable length, and about 4 to 6 months to reach enough length for most classic haircuts. Average hair growth is about 1.25cm (half an inch) per month, so a guard 2 buzz cut needs around three months just to reach the length a guard 5 starts at.
Growing out a buzz cut is one of the few genuine transitions in men’s grooming and there’s no way to skip from short to styled overnight, and most men either quit halfway through or don’t know what to do with the in-between stage. This guide breaks the process into clear phases, tells you what to expect at each one, and gives you a plan for the awkward weeks in the middle so you don’t end up back in the barber’s chair out of frustration.
Quick answer: Weeks 1–4, do nothing, there’s not enough length to work with yet. Weeks 5–8, book a shape-up rather than a full buzz to start guiding the new style. Weeks 9–12, you’ll have enough length for a side part or light comb-over. By month 4–6, most classic haircuts become possible.
How to Grow Out a Buzz Cut
1. Taming the Edges and Nape
A simple buzz with clippers is a doable home trim, but Hunt warns that any DIY attempt at home to handle blending the difference in length between a longer top and shorter sides and back is tricky. To keep that vertical head real estate neat, tidy, and fresh without setting back your growth journey or making you bottle the grow-out stage due to an unkempt problem, make regular trips to the barber shop for maintenance trims that fit most men’s hairstyles and your end goal.
2. Mapping Out Your Style Evolution
I always tell guys it’s normal to start questioning your life choices and grabbing a hat during the early stages of growing out a short haircut like a buzz, but being patient and having a deliberate plan gives you control over the process. It’s helpful to use products on your scalp and get trims on the back and sides to shape the longer top into short hairstyles like a crew cut or Ivy League style, making the direction of this tip much easier.
3. Trusting the Awkward Process
Patience is an important factor when growing out buzz cuts, as DeJesus notes that dealing with the awkward phase of your hair is inevitable before you reach your desired length. You need the willingness to allow your buzz cut to look a little funky while it grows out, so just have fun, embrace hats or beanies, and remember this is all temporary.
4. De-Bulking for a Natural Flow
While sitting in the chair having your sides and back faded, ask the pros to remove bulk from the top to ensure it perfectly suits your hair type and end goal. They can easily handle this by chopping into the strands with thinning shears to make the ends less even, creating a much more natural flow.
5. Finding Your Go-To Styling Arsenal
To control awkward-length hair as it gets longer, try a lightweight styling cream or pomade to achieve slicked-back styles or a spiky vibe. Don’t hesitate to experiment with matte clays, texture sprays, and gels that add grit and hold to your hair, allowing you to create different looks.
6. Prioritizing Root and Scalp Health
Healthy hair growth during a buzz cut grow out demands a healthy scalp, so wash with a gentle shampoo and conditioner that are free of sulfates. Sulfates are harsh lathering ingredients, so skip them, reduce hair damage by protecting your hair from chlorine, let it air dry, and avoid damaging chemicals like bleach or dye that are extremely drying.
How Fast Does Hair Actually Grow?
Average scalp hair grows about 1.25cm (0.5 inches) per month, or roughly 15cm (6 inches) per year. That rate is fairly consistent across most men, though genetics, age, and overall hair health can shift it slightly in either direction. What that means in practical terms: a buzz cut at guard 2 (6mm) takes about a month to reach guard 4 length, and roughly three months to reach a length most men would call “short hair” rather than “buzzed.”
This is the number that should set your expectations before you start i.e growing out a buzz cut isn’t a two-week process, and treating it like one is the most common reason men give up early.
| Timeframe | What's Happening | What to Do |
|---|---|---|
| Week 1–2 | Barely visible growth | No action needed |
| Week 3–4 | Hair starts to show texture and curl pattern | Consider a light pomade to control direction |
| Week 5–8 | Enough length for a side part or light comb-over | Book a shape-up rather than a full buzz to start defining a new style |
| Week 9–12 | Enough length for a textured crop or defined part | Commit to a direction and train the hair with light product daily |
| Month 4–6 | Enough length for most classic haircuts | Book a proper cut and resume a regular trim schedule |
Weeks 1–2: No Action Needed
Growth is barely visible at this stage, you’ll notice more shadow and texture than actual length. There’s nothing to style yet, and this is the point where most impatience sets in. Resist the urge to go back for a trim; a fresh buzz now just restarts the clock.
What to do: Nothing. Let it grow.
Weeks 3–4: Texture Starts Showing
Hair is now long enough to show its natural texture and curl pattern for the first time since the buzz cut. Straight hair will start lying in a direction; curly or wavy hair will start showing its pattern. This is also the point where a fade, if you had one, starts to blur at the blend point.
What to do: A light pomade or matte styling cream can start giving some direction, but there’s still not enough length for a defined style. If you had a fade, this is roughly when it needs its first maintenance trim to avoid an obvious grown-out line.
Weeks 5–8: The First Real Decision Point
This is the most important stage in the entire process. There’s now enough length to start shaping, not into a full haircut yet, but enough for a barber to begin guiding growth in a specific direction rather than leaving it to grow randomly.
What to do: Book a shape-up, not a full buzz. Ask your barber specifically to clean up the neckline and sides without touching the length on top, this keeps the cut looking intentional while the top continues growing. This is also the point where a side part or light comb-over first becomes physically possible, even if subtle.
Weeks 9–12: Enough Length to Style
By this point most men have roughly 2–3cm of length on top which is enough for a proper side part, a light comb-over, or the early stages of a textured crop. This is usually the hardest phase to push through psychologically, since it’s long enough to look unkempt if left unstyled but not yet long enough for the haircut you’re growing toward.
What to do: Commit to a specific direction. If you’re growing toward a side part, start parting it now even though it’s short but training the hair early makes it lie flatter as it gets longer. If you’re growing toward a longer textured style, a light clay or paste will hold what length you have.
Months 4–6: Most Classic Haircuts Become Possible
At 5–7.5cm of length, most classic men’s haircuts are now achievable e.g a proper side part, a quiff, a textured crop, or a slicked-back style. This is generally where the “growing out” phase ends and a normal haircut routine resumes.
What to do: Book a proper cut rather than another shape-up. This is the point to commit to a new style and start a regular trim schedule again, rather than continuing to grow indefinitely.
What to Do During the Awkward Stage
The hardest part of growing out a buzz cut is weeks 5–10, when there’s too much length to look freshly buzzed but not enough to style properly. A few things make this stretch easier:
- Get a shape-up every 2–3 weeks, not a full buzz. This keeps the neckline and sides clean while the top keeps growing, which reads as intentional rather than neglected.
- Use a light styling product early. Even a small amount of pomade or clay gives short hair some direction and prevents the “just got out of bed” look.
- Pair it with a beard if you have one. A groomed beard draws attention away from an in-between haircut and balances the proportions while the top grows.
- Avoid touching the top with clippers. It’s tempting to buzz just the sides to “clean up,” but this resets your timeline for anything that isn’t strictly neckline or sideburn maintenance.
Hairstyles You Can Grow Into, by Stage
- 8–12 weeks (short, textured): side part, textured crop, light comb-over
- 3–4 months (medium-short): quiff, slicked back, classic taper with length on top
- 5–6 months (medium): pompadour, longer textured styles, most classic barbershop cuts
For guard-number-specific detail on any of the shorter styles along the way, the Buzz Cut Guide covers every length from a 0 to a 5 if you want to stop partway through the grow-out rather than continuing to full length.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to grow out a buzz cut?
Around 10–12 weeks to reach a short, styleable length, and 4–6 months to reach enough length for most classic haircuts. Average hair growth is roughly 1.25cm per month.
How do I style my hair while growing out a buzz cut?
Get a shape-up every 2–3 weeks rather than a full buzz, use a light pomade or clay once there’s enough length to hold direction, and start training a side part or comb-over as early as week 6–8, even if the length is minimal.
What's the most awkward stage of growing out a buzz cut?
Weeks 5–10, when there’s enough length to look unstyled but not enough for a full haircut. Regular shape-ups and early product use are the two things that make this stretch look intentional rather than neglected.
Can I speed up how fast a buzz cut grows out?
Not meaningfully as hair growth rate is largely genetic, averaging about 1.25cm per month regardless of grooming routine. Scalp health and nutrition can support healthy growth, but won’t significantly speed up the rate.
What haircuts can I grow into after a buzz cut?
At 8–12 weeks, a side part or textured crop. At 3–4 months, a quiff or slicked-back style. At 5–6 months, most classic barbershop cuts including a pompadour.
Should I keep the sides buzzed while growing out the top?
Yes. A shape-up that maintains a short, clean neckline and sides while leaving the top untouched is the easiest way to keep a grow-out looking deliberate rather than messy.
Further Reading
