Do you plan on going to the barber shop (or your hairstylist) for a haircut. It is important to understand how the hair lengths (1, 2, 3, 4, etc.) varies.
It will also help to learn which sizes of hair clippers should your barber be using.
Especially if you’re the type of guy, who takes pride in your appearance to others. You know that a can make or break your personality.
Don’t take this lightly. Educate yourself.
If you’d like to learn about specific haircut sizes, and see how they look, you can click one of the links below to go on specific pages:
So what length haircut should you get? Read further to learn more.
Page Contents
What are Haircut the Lengths?
Want the perfect hairstyle? Let’s dive right in to learn the basics for you to make well informed decisions about your hair.
Since the clipper guards’ sizes are related to different hair lengths, guys looking for the perfect haircut need to know about every number when asking for specific styles.
Although it seems like there is a trivial difference between the 2 and 3 fade, you will be astonished to see the vast difference a 1/8 of an inch can make.
We have piled up detailed descriptions along with images so that men can understand and visualize the clipper guard sizes and hair lengths (1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8) starting from number 1, all the way down to number 8.
Perfecting your haircut is an art. Especially if you want to invest in a hair trimmer and save money on haircuts in the long run.
So to master your desired haircut, start with learning about hair lengths and clipper guard sizes.
Hair Clipper Sizes
Also referred to as the clipper guard sizes, your hairstylist gives you the perfect haircut using a combination of these.
The higher the clipper guard number is, the longer the haircut will be. For instance:
Number 1
If you ask for a Number 1 haircut, a #1 guard will be attached for 1/8 inch of hair length.
Read More: Number 1 Haircut Length
Number 2
A Number 2 haircut corresponds to 1/4 inch length, which is still very short.
Read More: Number 2 Haircut Length
Number 3
A Number 3 haircut has 3/8 inch of hair left.
Read More: Number 3 Haircut Length
Number 4
A Number 4 haircut is longer leaving a medium length cut of around 1/2 inch.
Read More: Number 4 Haircut Length
Number 5
A 5 haircut comprises of 5/8 inch of hair on the scalp.
A person can request for either of the hair lengths starting from short clipper guard sizes: (0, 1, 2, 3, 4) to more longer ones: (5, 6, 7, 8, 10), depending on what he wants based on the sizes detailed below.
Haircut Numbers in Millimetres and Inches
- One-eighth of an inch = #1 (3 mm)
- One-quarter of an inch = #2 (0.5 mm)
- Three-eighths of an inch = #3 (10 mm)
- One-half of an inch = #4 (13 mm)
- Five-eighths of an inch = #5 (16 mm)
- Three-quarters of an inch = #6 (19 mm)
- Seven-eighths of an inch = #7 (22 mm)
- One inch = #8 (25 mm)
What Size Haircut Should I Get?
Not sure which haircut length you should get? Usually, looking at specific hairstyles helps.
You can click one of the pages below to access clipper guard look-books that we’ve put together:
- Number 1 Haircut Length
- Number 2 Haircut Length
- Number 3 Haircut Length
- Number 4 Haircut Length
- Number 5 Haircut Length
- Number 6 Haircut Length
- Number 7 Haircut Length
- Number 8 Haircut Length
Men’s Haircut Lengths (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8) With Pictures
Here are images of men with different haircut lengths starting from number 1, all the way up to number 8.
To learn more about the specific hair length number, click on the links to go to specific pages.
Haircut Length Chart
Number 1 Haircut
Leaving 1/8 inch of hair, a number 1 haircut is hardly any length. For fade sides and short buzz cuts, a #1 guard is used.
Using a clipper size throughout would show your scalp. So be aware of that.
Number 2 Haircut
This is one of the most popular clipper sizes, used regularly for buzz cuts and faded sides.
The number 2 is also very short but slightly longer than the number 1, being 1/4 of an inch.
But this does not expose the scalp, so it is a safe bet for those who are balding or have thin hair.
Number 3 Haircut
Very popular among all the clipper sizes, number 3 clipper guard has 3/8 inch of a length.
A wide number of barbers use this to cut fades. Since this haircut is short and requires very low maintenance, many men ask for this haircut.
It also works for both thick and thin men’s hairstyles.
Number 4 Haircut
Providing a reasonable length for most of the conservative hairstyles, a number 4 haircut gives you 1/2 inch of hair.
These clippers do not produce a very short buzz, they start bordering on a men’s army cut, crew cut, or brush.
Number 5 Haircut
The number 5 haircut is around 5/8 of an inch, leaving hair long enough to be brushed and styled.
It works well if you do not want to create much contrast, and wish to taper off the sides. For a more classical cut use a #5 clipper and look like a gentleman.
It will help you look more professional if you work in a corporate setting.
Number 6 Haircut
The number #6 works for styles that requires 3/4 inch of hair length, usually being used for tapered sides like the #5.
This gets you something closer to a crew but not a buzz cut.
Number 7 Haircut
The number 7 clipper guard is around 7/8 inch, used to give a crew cut using clippers. It is the best for buzzing the hair up top without scissors.
Just use a smaller clipper to give a fade hairstyle effect on the sides.
Number 8 Haircut
Last but not the least, number 8 is the longest of all. It is ideal if you want to trim the longer hair on the top, fading the sides to shorter hair lengths (1, 2, 3, 4).
It will help in giving you a contrast haircut, balancing the #8.
Clipper Guard Sizes in Numbers and Hair Length
Here is a quick review of the clipper guard sizes.
| CLIPPER GUIDE NUMBER | LENGTH IN INCHES | LENGTH IN MM |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | 1 / 16 | 1.6 |
| 1 | 1 / 8 | 3.2 |
| 2 | 1 / 4 | 6.3 |
| 3 | 3 / 8 | 9.5 |
| 4 | 1 / 2 | 12.7 |
| 5 | 5 / 8 | 15,8 |
| 6 | 3 / 4 | 19.0 |
| 7 | 7 / 8 | 22.2 |
| 8 | 1 | 25.4 |
| 10 | 1 & 1/4 | 31.7 |
Why It’s Important to Understand Haircut Lengths and Clipper Guard Sizes
So there you have it. This was a quick guide to help you learn about clipper guard sizes so you can make better decisions to look your best.
Haircuts can be tricky specially if you’re going to a new hairstylist. Being equipped with information about hair lengths and clipper sizes, helps you to explain the type of haircut to your barber in a better way
On the contrary, this knowledge can you enable you to start cutting your own hair and save hundreds of dollars on haircuts every year.