I hate my buzz cut! What do I do now?
Ok, so you just shaved your head and you hate your buzz cut? Or worse… do you regret shaving your head?
First of all, no need to panic.
It’s just a bad buzz cut. (Yes, I said “just”).
No, you won’t need to move to Mexico where no one knows you; and no, people will not run away from you, screaming “you’re so ugly!”.
(BTW, you are not ugly).
I know, I know. What were you thinking, right?
At this moment, it probably seems like you made a huge mistake: you shaved your head and you regret it. You absolutely hate it and it’s all you can think about.
(And you know you will have to face comments from others, soon. Gasp!).
But still… now is not the time to beat yourself up or wallow in regrets. Now, is time to cheer yourself up: come on! It’s not that big a deal, and the regrets won’t last (unless you keep’em there).
Trust me. I’ve been there and I’ve been in a situation where I regret shaving my head too
Yes, I’ve said in another post that “I haven’t missed my hair once since shaving it“… Well, that’s no longer true.
Related post: 15 Surprising things that happened after shaving my hair
I’m not sure exactly what changed but after over a year of consistently shaving my head and loving it, I guess this time was one too many. I regretted shaving my head, I hated the way it looked, and I thought my hair looked UGLY.
Maybe it was just a bad buzz cut? OR maybe I had grown attached to the cute curls that had been sprouting for the past months? I don’t know… Shaving your hair and watching it grow can be quite a journey.
What I do know is that, for a couple of weeks, I felt really insecure and almost “regretted” that last buzz cut. (TBH, I no longer indulge much in regrets, they are a waste of energy. You do things, you learn, you move on. But still… I felt something, and it wasn’t great).
Thankfully, I remembered all the lessons learned in the past year and quickly got over it. Lessons and tips I’ll be sharing with you right now 🙂
And so, here are 8 things you can do if you hate your buzzcut and regret shaving your head
1. Remember: shaving your head was not a mistake and do NOT beat yourself up over it
If you took the leap and shaved your head, it’s likely because you have been thinking about it (consciously or unconsciously) for a while. Unless of course you were drunk AF or you lost a bet or something.
Actually, even if it was a bet, it’s a good thing that you went ahead and gave yourself that buzz cut. It means you are a man or woman of your word; good for you!
But if it was not a bet, and you had been thinking about shaving your head, especially if you hated having to always do your hair, then it’s definitely a good thing that you finally took the plunge and cut it all off.
Don’t waste your time with regrets. Instead of constantly wondering for months or years what it might be like to shave your hair and go bald… now you know. You did it. You shaved your head. Why not try to enjoy the new freedom?
Constantly asking yourself “what if” is a massive waste of mental energy. You are better off just doing the thing, even if you hate it, rather than staying in limbo. Now that you’ve done it, just move on.
If you end up liking your head shaved, you now have the option to keep it short. But if you hate it throughout the whole process of regrowth, then simply let your hair grow and don’t look back.
Yes, it is that simple.
Indecision, not acting on your instincts, in this case shaving your head, and regrets are the real mistake.
Respect your decisions, own up to your choices, and keep your head high.
Related post: Why I shaved my head after 7 years natural
2. Your hair might be unevenly cut
I know. It sounds so… silly! But you will not believe how many times I thought I looked weird after giving myself a buzz cut, only to realize a couple of days or weeks later that it was because my hair was unevenly cut.
It really can be as stupid as that: a bad buzz cut. And bad buzz cut can be fixed.
I went from “ugly buzzcut” to “cute buzzcut” in a matter of minutes.
The problem is, you don’t even consider that option because you probably went over each section hair a dozen times with your clipper so you think, there’s no way it’s not evenly cut!
Well, it might be. And that may well be why you think your buzzcut is ugly.
So, even if you are convinced you did a good enough job the first time… just go ahead and try buzzing your hair a second (or even a third or fourth) time.
You will not believe how results differ massively when your cut is not even.
3. Beanies and hats can transform a look
If you absolutely hate your buzz cut, well, accessories are about to become your new best friends, especially in the first couple of weeks. Pair that turtleneck and blazer with a cute cashmere beanie or a nice felt hat, and voilà!
Take some time to play around with your new look and have fun with it. It’s okay.
Seriously, don’t stay in depressed-land over a bad haircut, and don’t shy away from bold accessories like hats, head scarves, or even massive earrings… They will make your look a bit more edgy and unique.
Remember, you can focus on what (you think) is not working, or you can focus on the opportunities that this new style opens up. It’s up to you.
4. A 1/4” can make a HUGE difference
Just because you think you look ugly right after shaving your head for the first time does not mean you will feel the same way 3-4 weeks from now.
I promise you, just a few weeks of growth can make a big difference.
Be patient, keep track of how many days have passed since your last buzz cut, take pictures, observe. You might find that you hate your “week 1 to 4” look, but absolutely love the “week 5 to 8” look.
If or when that happens, remember to write down the approximate lengths and periods so you can go straight back to them the next time you refresh your buzz cut.
Edit: I confirm: a couple of months have passed and, yep!… My hair looks completely different and I absolutely LOVE this length! So much so that I’ve been shaving it again and again to maintain it at that length. (Fyi, the top is longer now (28 mm), but I keep the sides shorter (13 mm), and the back even more short than the sides (10 mm).
5. Shave the sides
Sometimes, all it takes to go from “meh” to “hell yeah!” is just a few tweaks to your buzz cut.
One of them is keeping the sides a bit shorter than the top.
Again, you will not believe how many times I was unimpressed or disappointed by a look, but when I shaved the sides and the back… BAM! Cute buzzcut!
Don’t be scared to experiment with your shaved head. What have you got to lose? Are you scared you might have to cut it all to correct your mistakes?
Haha!
News flash: you’ve already done that. So, might as well play with it, don’t you think?
6. Style your buzz cut
Yes ma’am.
Just because you no longer have hair does not mean you can’t style a buzz cut and be creative with it.
I have 3b-4a hair natural/curly hair, so what works for me will not necessarily work for everybody, but check out this other post (below) I wrote on how I give my shaved head a more sleek and polished look.
Related article: This super easy trick will make your butt cut look even cuter.
7. Keep your head high
You know what makes a buzz cut look good?
Confidence.
And you know what makes a buzz cut ugly? Cowering like a scared chicken.
When you don’t like something about yourself or are self-conscious about your looks, be mindful of your posture and the way you carry yourself.
Don’t try to escape other people’s gaze, (as if that was possible). And don’t hunch your shoulders or behave as if you are trying to disappear. That’s what makes you unattractive.
Related article: How to be more attractive without wearing more make-up?
Are you feeling insecure without hair? Good. It’s the perfect opportunity to hold your head high, shoulders back, chin up, and wear that cute dress you’ve been saving for “special occasions”.
Confidence will make you attractive. Not (just) your hair.
8. Shift the focus (or not) and be bold
If you regret shaving your hair and wish you could hide in your room whining about your ugly buzz cut for the next 6 (or 18?) months… well, don’t do that. Instead, try and shift the focus away from the (absence of) hair and towards something else. Or… directly to the hair!
You heard me. I said: highlight the baldness, bro.
My point is: it’s time to be bold.
Trust me, as scary as it might seem, it’s better to be brave and bold than it is to put your tail between your legs and cower. It’s better for your mood, your mental well-being, and your self-esteem.
And it builds self-respect. In other words, that experience is good for building a stronger, more confident “you”. Don’t run away from it. Embrace it; it won’t last for ever. Remember? Hair grows.
What do I mean by “be bold”?
- Well, you could try shaved hair designs, as shown here.
- Or a different hair color.
- Try wearing bright-colored lipstick.
- Opt for an unusual eyeshadow.
- Or perhaps you could put on a fabulous dress with a high slit.
- Big sunglasses…
Whatever! There’s no right or wrong answer. “Bold” means something different for each person.
The point is, risk being seen, noticed. And if you’re going to be seen, for the love of God, give the people a run for their money!
So, anyway, the bottom line is: don’t regret shaving your head… Embrace it!
And in case you need more encouragements, remember: hair grows ???? Or you can always experiement with wigs!
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Thank you for this!! You are amazing and so encouraging! Your mindset is what matters! Thank you for the reminder!
Hi Sharlene, you’re so welcome! I’m so glad this post reminded you of how amazing you are ❤️
Thank you, Elle
I needed to hear this tbh.
I have been shaving my hair but this time I don’t like the haircut cos to me it’s ugly and made me look some type of way.
I feel a lot better now.
Thanks Cynthia. I feel you. Just went through another buzzcut disaster a couple of months ago, after trying out a new barber. Had to let it grow for 2-3 weeks, than shaved it again myself. And now, I love it again. Don’t worry, it will soon be but a bad memory!
Hi y’all I have been thinking about doing a buzz cut, but you know wording about what others thought,my hair has started to thin on the side an,I am at the point of buzzing it all off ,but l have been afraid of what everyone will say,after reading your article I got some much needed courage, l need to do me I am 78 years old if the like it find if not to bad this is my hair my head,..Thank you so much for the much needed courage.
Hey Ann, thank you for commenting about your struggles. I feel you, you fear, and hesitation. I still feel them too, even after 3 years of shaving my head. Unfortunaly we have no control over what other people say or do. BUT, we do have acontrol about what WE say to ourselves (please be kind), and the option of 1. Try out things to figure out what works for us. 2) have the right to make mistakes (and they are rarely mistakes, but just learning experiences). 3) we can tell people that we don’t want to hear their constant negative comments about x, y, or z; and 4. we can leave when said people keep a negative cloud around us. 78 is such a great age to finally do you. Go ahead. I officially give you permission to tell people off 🙂 (not that you need it anyway).