Face Form Finder
Haircut Number Chart
These are common guide-comb reference values, not a global standard. Check the manual for the guards and clipper in front of you—especially for #0 and #0.5—before treating a number as an exact length.
| Guard number | Common reference length | How to read it | Visual result after clipping | Common use | What to say to a barber or stylist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #0 | about 1.5 mm about 1/16 in | Very short; this name can vary by tool. | Very close coverage with clear scalp contrast rather than a bare shave. | A near-skin fade area or a deliberately very short base. | “Use your #0 only where we agree on a very close finish; please show me the result before taking it higher.” |
| #0.5 | about 2.4 mm about 3/32 in | Between a #0 and #1 on many systems; confirm your comb’s marking. | Still very short, with slightly more visible hair than a close #0 finish. | A small step in a short fade or blend. | “Use your #0.5 as the transition between the close area and the #1; confirm what that guard leaves on this clipper.” |
| #1 | about 3 mm about 1/8 in | Common short-guide reference. | A short, even layer that clearly shows hair without looking long. | A short sides-and-back baseline or compact buzz length. | “Leave a #1 on the area we marked, then show me the first pass before blending higher.” |
| #1.5 | about 4.5 mm about 3/16 in | Common in-between guide reference. | Short coverage with a little more softness than a #1. | A bridge between #1 and #2 in a gradual blend. | “Use #1.5 only as a bridge from my #1 area into #2; I do not want an abrupt line.” |
| #2 | about 6 mm about 1/4 in | Common short-guide reference. | Short but more visibly covered than #1, with less scalp contrast. | Short sides or a conservative short overall cut. | “Leave a #2 through the side area; keep it visibly short but not as close as a #1.” |
| #3 | about 10 mm about 3/8 in | Common medium-short guide reference. | A clearly visible short layer with more texture than the lower numbers. | A classic short buzz length or a higher blend zone. | “I want a #3 in the area we discuss, so the finish stays short but has visible coverage.” |
| #4 | about 13 mm about 1/2 in | Common half-inch guide reference. | A compact short cut with enough length to read as hair rather than stubble. | A longer buzz or the upper side area of a short cut. | “Keep a #4 where I want a fuller short result; do not take that area down to my lower side number.” |
| #5 | about 16 mm about 5/8 in | Common guide reference. | Short coverage with a fuller surface than a #4. | A longer transition or a short all-over length. | “Use #5 for the fuller short section, then connect it smoothly to the shorter area.” |
| #6 | about 19 mm about 3/4 in | Common guide reference. | A short, fuller layer that begins to show more movement when hair is dense enough. | A longer transition or a low-maintenance short cut. | “Leave a #6 in the fuller area; I want it short, but not clippered close to the scalp.” |
| #7 | about 22 mm about 7/8 in | Common guide reference. | A fuller short finish with a less severe contrast to a longer top. | A high blend area or a longer short all-over finish. | “Use #7 for a soft connection into the longer section, keeping the overall result clearly short.” |
| #8 | about 25 mm about 1 in | Common one-inch guide reference. | The longest common numbered guard in many standard sets, leaving a visibly fuller short layer. | A longer clipper cut or a conservative starting length before going shorter. | “Start with your #8 so we can see the longest short option first; only go shorter after I check it.” |
How to use a guard-number chart
- Read the guard number and its unit together. The common reference values above use millimetres and inches; the conversion rule is 1 inch = 25.4 millimetres.
- Find the actual guard included with your clipper and compare its printed number and stated length with the manual before cutting.
- Start longer when the outcome is unknown. You can move to a shorter guard; you cannot restore removed length during the same cut.
- Say both the number and the visible location: for example, “#2 on the lower sides, blended into #4 above.” Ask to see one pass before committing to the full area.
- Use the hairstyle chart for haircut names and salon briefs when you also need to name the overall silhouette; this page only explains numbered guide lengths.
Why the same number is not universal
Guide-comb numbering is a common convention, not a global authority-issued standard. Brands, guard families, clipper models, blade settings, and taper levers can leave slightly different results. #0 and #0.5 are particularly likely to be named or supplied differently across tools.
Hair density, colour contrast, scalp visibility, growth direction, and the person using the clipper also change the finished appearance. Treat the table lengths as common references and the tool’s own manual as the final check.
Related Face Form Finder pages
Different face shapes index · Hair length chart with personal body landmarks · Hairstyle chart for names and salon wording · Hair types chart for natural pattern · Hair texture chart for strand thickness and density · Haircuts for round face men · Best haircuts for a square face