In short. Buzzcutting publishes general information about men’s haircuts and grooming. Every guide is written from public sources that we link on the page, uses typical values and says so, and has not been reviewed by a licensed barber or dermatologist. Use the guides to prepare for a conversation with your own barber, not to replace one.
This page explains how the guides on Buzzcutting are written, where the facts come from, what the numbers mean and what we do not claim. It applies to every hub, pillar and cluster page on the site, which is why the guides themselves carry only a short note.
What Buzzcutting is
Buzzcutting is an independent publication about men’s haircuts, fades, beard shapes and the words you need to ask for them. The guides are built to answer one practical question each, such as what a fade is, which guard goes where, how long a cut lasts or what to say in the chair. They are general information. They are not medical advice, dermatology advice or a substitute for a professional consultation.
How a guide is made
Each guide follows the same process, in this order:
- Define the question. We pick one haircut or topic and list the questions people ask about it, from the basic definition to the awkward details such as grow-out and razor bumps.
- Read published sources. We read what barbers, grooming publications and health bodies have published and link the ones we rely on, so you can check the claim yourself.
- Write in plain steps. We describe the cut by its variables (for example height, finish, guard numbers and top length), give a direct answer first and then the detail in tables and steps.
- Name what can go wrong. Each how-to step lists the usual mistake, so the guide is useful when something is off in the chair, not only when everything goes well.
- Mark estimates as estimates. Where a figure is a typical value and not a fixed fact, the guide says so.
Where the facts come from
Specific claims are attributed on the page, with a link, to the source they come from. The sources we use most often are:
- The American Academy of Dermatology for razor bump and skin care advice.
- Cleveland Clinic for hair growth rates, and the trade publication Modern Barber, which published an interview with barber Pete Cranfield on the difference between a taper and a fade.
- Men’s Hairstyles Today for advice on telling a barber what you want.
- Other grooming publications named on the individual guide, such as FashionBeans, Ape to Gentleman, Luxe Digital and Barber’s Take.
We credit these sources for their ideas and quote them briefly. The wording of the guides is our own.
What the numbers mean
Haircut guides are full of numbers, and not all of them are the same kind of number.
| Type of number | Example | How to read it |
|---|---|---|
| Fixed standard | A #1 guard leaves 3 mm, a #2 leaves 6 mm, a #3 leaves 10 mm, a #4 leaves 13 mm | Standard clipper guard sizes. Brands vary slightly. |
| Commonly cited average | Head hair grows about 1 to 1.25 cm a month | An average. Your own rate differs. |
| Typical value | A mid fade starts 4 to 5 cm above the ear | A rule of thumb. Barbers and heads vary. |
| Sharp-for time | A skin fade looks sharp for about a week | An estimate from typical growth and contrast. |
When a number is a typical value, an estimate or an average, the guide says so, usually in the note at the end of the page.
Skin and health information
Some guides touch on skin, such as razor bumps and ingrown hairs. We repeat published advice from health bodies and attribute it, and we say when a problem is worth showing to a doctor or dermatologist. We do not diagnose, and we do not recommend treatments.
Who writes and reviews the guides
Buzzcutting was founded by David, who has worked in web design and marketing for more than 15 years and runs haircut businesses and shops around the world. David is responsible for the editorial standards on this page and for the final edit of the guides. You can read more on the About page.
The guides are written and edited by the Buzzcutting editorial team. We have not had them reviewed by a licensed barber or a dermatologist, and we do not claim to have cut hair for the examples in them. If a guide ever carries a professional review, it will say who reviewed it and when.
About the images
The photos on the guides are illustrative images that show the cut being described. They are not photographs of real clients, and they are not pictures of work done at a particular shop. They are chosen to show a range of hair types, skin tones, ages and settings, because a cut looks different on different heads. Each image carries an alt text that describes what it shows.
Corrections and updates
If a guide contains a mistake, we correct it when we have checked the claim against its source. Guides are revised when a source changes, when a cut or term shifts meaning, or when readers point out a gap. Major corrections are made in the text itself and not hidden.
What we do not do
- We do not invent first-hand experience, client stories or testimonials.
- We do not present typical values as exact facts.
- We do not give medical, legal or financial advice.
- We do not copy other publications. We attribute ideas and write our own text.
Using the guides well
The best use of a guide is to prepare. Read the quick answer, pick the version you want, bring a photo and use the words in the how-to-ask table. Your barber knows your head, your hair growth and your hairline, so their judgement comes first when it differs from a general guide.