How to Grow Out a Buzzcut

Co-authored by Arthur Sebastian

Last Updated: July 28, 2022 References

Hair Growth Tips

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Styling Tips

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Owning the Look

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Tips

A buzzcut looks great and is easy to maintain, but can be frustrating to grow out. You can expect your hair to grow about ¹⁄₂ inch (1.3 cm) per month, so while you wait for it to grow out, try a few new hairstyles and experiment with ways to help it grow even faster. Make the best of your growing out period and it’ll be over in no time!

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Hair Growth Tips

1
Massage your scalp every day. Massaging your head encourages blood flow, which can help your hair grow back more quickly. Run your hands over your head from front to back, pressing down gently, then press in the tips of your fingers and run them in small circles on the top of your scalp. Repeat on the back and sides of your head. Do this once a day to give your hair a boost.^{[1]
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- You can also use a hydrating oil, such as coconut oil, to increase scalp health. Pour a bit on your head and use your fingers to massage it over your scalp.
- Give your head a short massage when you’re washing your hair as well.
- You can also use a head massager to massage your scalp.
2
Brush your hair twice a day to promote circulation. Your hair might not be long enough to require detangling, but gently rubbing a brush over your scalp has big benefits when you’re growing out a buzzcut. Do it once or twice a day to help increase blood flow to your head and disperse any oils that have built up.^{[2]
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- Try to use a brush with a mix of boar and nylon bristles.
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3
Use a hydrating shampoo and conditioner 1-3 times a week. Hydrating shampoos won’t strip natural oils from your hair, which keeps your scalp healthy and your follicles strong. Apply a coin-sized amount to your wet hair when you’re in the shower. Once you rinse out the shampoo, apply a bit of conditioner and rinse it out with cool water to seal your cuticle and protect the proteins in your hair.^{[3]
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- It’s best not wash your hair too frequently when you’re growing it out, as frequent washes can strip out natural oils and slow down hair growth.^{[4]
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  Arthur Sebastian
  Professional Hair Stylist
  Expert Interview. 29 April 2019.} Hair doesn't need to be shampooed daily. If you can try washing it twice a week. If not, at least try washing it every other day.
- Once your hair starts to grow out, use a bit more shampoo and conditioner. Focus on applying the shampoo close to your scalp and keeping the conditioner near the tips of your hair, when they grow longer.
4
Rinse with cold water at the end of each shower. Hit your hair with just a couple seconds of cold water before you get out of the shower. This smoothes down the outer layer of your hair, which protects it from losing moisture and will help it stay healthy and grow longer.^{[5]
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5
Eat a balanced diet with plenty of proteins and vitamins. Eating healthy will give your hair the nutrients it needs to grow long and strong. Add foods with lots of protein and omega-3s, and consider taking supplements of vitamins B and D, which may help your hair grow longer.^{[6]
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- Protein can be found foods like eggs, meat, fish, lentils, quinoa, and yogurt.
- For omega-3 fatty acids, eat foods like walnuts, chia seeds, brussel sprouts, and spinach.
6
Try a hair supplement medication if your hair has trouble growing. Even with a healthy diet, it can be hard to get the right amounts of nutrients to get your hair growing fast. If your hair needs an extra boost, take a hair growth supplement with biotin and vitamins.^{[7]
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- Check with your doctor before you start taking a hair supplement to make sure it won’t interact with any medications you’re on.
- You can get hair supplements online or at a drugstore.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Styling Tips

1
Trim your hair every 10 weeks to keep the sides and back shorter.^{[8]
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Arthur Sebastian
Professional Hair Stylist
Expert Interview. 29 April 2019.} Tapering your hair slightly near the temples and neck will give it a natural, face-framing look as it grows out. Go to your barber or hairstylist to get this done by a professional, or use different blade lengths on your own clippers to try it at home.^{[9]
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- Tapering your sides also allows you to choose from a number of different styles as your hair grows longer, from a straight grow-in to a pixie cut.
- Make sure to trim your hair every 10 weeks or so. This will allow it to keep its shape as it grows, helping you avoid the fuzzy-all-over, “tennis ball” look.
2
Try a fade for an edgy style. As the top of your hair starts to grow back, try buzzing it more dramatically along the sides to create a fade. This style has more layers tapering down to your temples and the back of your head, creating an interesting “fading” effect.^{[10]
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Expert Source

Arthur Sebastian
Professional Hair Stylist
Expert Interview. 29 April 2019.} This trendy style is a great way to avoid the awkward stage in between a buzzcut and a longer style or a pixie cut.^{[11]
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- You can ask your stylist to give you a fade or try it yourself by experimenting with different-sized blades on your clippers. If you try it on yourself, ask a friend to help you with the back since they can see it better than you can.
- As your hair gets longer, go from a light fade to a medium one and start trimming the top. This is especially great if you’re going for a more masculine look and want to skip the pixie cut phase.
3
Grow it into a pixie cut for a trendy look. Pixie cuts are the most natural style to grow your buzzcut into. Short pixie cuts need only about an inch (or slightly less) of hair on top—enough to flatten down and swoosh to the sides. As your hair gets longer, it’ll grow into a wispier look that you can keep casual with side-swooped bangs or slick back for a sophisticated look.^{[12]
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- For fine or medium texture hair, try putting some foaming lotion into your hands and using your palms to smooth it over your head. Then, comb your hair in the direction you want it to lay.
4
Use a gel or matte putty product to play down the fuzz. One common complaint for people growing out their buzzcut is the in-between stage: when your hair is too short to lay flat, but long enough to give you a fuzzy halo effect around your head. To avoid this “tennis ball” look, flatten down your hair with a light gel or a matte putty or texturizer. Pour a small amount into your hands and work it through your hair to flatten it or push it to one side.^{[13]
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5
Dye your hair to play with its texture. Changing your hair color is a great way to give your look a breath of fresh air, especially when you’re not thrilled about its length just yet. Consider lightening it a few shades to bring out more interesting texture, or going with a bright color like red or purple.^{[14]
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- Your short look is already eye-catching; play it up even more with a fresh pop of color!
6
Try extensions or a weave if you need length fast. If your hair is 3 inches (7.6 cm) long, it’s long enough to attach extensions to—a great choice if you can’t wait for your hair to grow out naturally. If it’s shorter than that, you can do a wig or a full enclosure weave, which attaches to the top of your head and hides your hair completely. These styles are complicated and difficult to put in on your own, so see your hair stylist if you think they’re for you.^{[15]
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- Remember that it will be more costly to put in a weave or extensions than it is to simply wait for your hair to grow out.
- Ask your stylist how to properly maintain your weave or extensions. With proper care, these can last for 1-3 months.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Owning the Look

1
Try new makeup looks to draw attention to your face. If you’re not happy with your current hair length, a great way to distract yourself from it is to focus on other aspects of your look, like your makeup. Try brighter or more dramatic looks with different shades of eyeliner, eyeshadow, or lipstick, or even try contouring.^{[16]
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- Unique, eye-catching makeup styles are a great way to draw people’s attention to your face, rather than your hair.
2
Play up your eyebrows for a bold look. When your hair is short, your eyebrows can really pop. Make sure they’re neatly shaped and try filling them in with brow pencils to a sophisticated, put-together look. For something more bold, try adding extra accessories like studs or face gems.
3
Experiment with facial accessories, like earrings or big sunglasses. You can also distract from your hair by accessorizing the area around your face. Put on big earrings, try a statement necklace, or pick up a pair of sunglasses in an interesting shape or color.
- Your short hair is probably eye-catching already, so playing up your face with big accessories will help you balance out your look without putting too much attention on your hair.
4
Wear hats to cover up the hair. When all else fails, cover up your growing-out hair with a baseball cap or a sun hat, or tie on a scarf. Match your hat to your outfit, or try a style you’ve never worn before. This is a great time to mix it up and try something new!^{[17]
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- Wearing a hat is a great way to disguise your hair while maintaining a casual, put-together look.