Buzz Cuts With Widow’s Peaks: A Complete Guide

Buzz cuts are widely known for their simplicity and versatility, but they don’t necessarily work for every single hair type. The question is, do buzz cuts look good with a widow’s peak? 

The buzz cut can work well for people with widow’s peaks as it’s eye-catching and easy to maintain. In addition, buzz cuts often make it more obvious that the hairline is a true widow’s peak and not simply a receding hairline. 

Although that’s the gist, there’s more to it. 

You’re about to learn everything you need to know about buzz cuts and widow’s peak so you don’t set a single foot wrong. 

Let’s get to it. 

Buzz Cuts And Widow’s Peaks: An Introduction

A “widow’s peak” refers to a hairline where there is a V-shaped point at the center of the forehead, instead of a straight hairline that runs from one side to the other. 

They’re commonly mistaken for receding hairlines due to the V-shape making it seem like the temples are receding. 

But this is incorrect. The temples haven’t receded – it’s just an illusion, as people with widow’s peaks would have always had them. 

A “buzz cut” is a short hairstyle that’s dependent on the use of a clipper. There are different variations of the buzz cut. 

The most common ones include the “induction cut” where all of the hair is simply clipped down to the same short length. 

“Crew cuts” are another buzz cut variation where the sides are clipped short, while the hair on top is left long and scissor-cut, subtly graduating from the front to the back. 

There are other variations including high and tights, burr cuts, and Ivy Leagues. 

But induction cuts and crew cuts are the most common.

For the sake of this article, we’ll talk about induction cuts from now on, as they’re the ones that most people think of when they hear the term “buzz cut”. 

Benefits Of Buzz Cuts For Widows Peaks

If you’ve got a true widow’s peak and you’re wondering whether the buzz cut is the style for you, consider these benefits. 

1. It’s Eye-Catching

It’ll probably come as no surprise that trimming a buzz cut will usually make the widow’s peak more obvious. 

With an induction-style buzz cut where all of the hair is clipped down so short, the V-shaped widow’s peak will be in full view. 

You won’t be able to hide it by using longer hair on either side. 

But in many ways, this should appeal to you. 

Widow’s peaks are eye-catching and a great way to stand out because they aren’t very common. Sure, plenty of men have receding hairlines. 

But true widow’s peaks are rarer.

While you may be looking for a way to hide it, consider the opposite route. Embrace the widow’s peak as it could work for you, especially when all of the hair is buzzed short. 

2. It’s Easy To Maintain

A buzz cut is very easy to maintain. In fact, there’s barely any “maintenance” required at all once it’s trimmed. 

That’s why the buzz cut appeals to so many people. It’s a set-it-and-forget-it type of style where you don’t have to spend hours per week preening your hair. 

This is something people with widow’s peaks sometimes find themselves doing, especially when they try their best to hide it by styling the hair in specific ways. 

This isn’t just time-consuming – it’s also frustrating and usually a waste of time. 

If you do go the way of embracing the widow’s peak by going for a buzz cut, the ease of maintenance it’ll bring you shouldn’t be ignored. 

There’s really no need for styling and washing/drying becomes a cinch. 

3. It Makes It Clear You’re Not Receding

It’s often the case that buzz cuts can actually make it clear that you’re not receding. It’ll make it more obvious that you really do have a widow’s peak. 

The reason for this is that when all the hair is clipped down super short as it is with a buzz cut, it becomes clear that your hair is actually pretty thick. 

It isn’t wispy or patchy as someone with a true receding hairline would often have. 

It can be tough to tell when you’ve got a longer hairstyle. 

Trimming a short buzz cut will make it more obvious that you’ve got good coverage throughout, and that V-shaped point in the center is a normal part of your hairline. 

Disadvantages Of Buzz Cuts For Widows Peaks

You’ve heard the pros – now it’s time for the cons. 

They aren’t major by any means, but before you take the plunge, it would be worth considering the following disadvantages that a buzz cut may bring to someone with a widow’s peak. 

1. It Makes Camouflage Difficult

I mentioned this earlier so it probably goes without saying. 

But if you’re intent on hiding your widow’s peak, a buzz cut wouldn’t be a good option. 

While embracing your natural hairline would be the best way to go, if you really aren’t a fan of the widow’s peak, don’t trim a buzz cut. 

You’ll want a longer hairstyle instead. More specifically, you’ll want a hairstyle where your frontal hairline isn’t as obvious. 

You’ve got plenty of options, but French Crops, Caesar Cuts, and even side-swept comb-overs could all potentially work. 

2. It Won’t Suit Certain Face Shapes

This disadvantage isn’t specific to people with widow’s peaks, but it’s probably the most important “con” to consider when it comes to buzz cuts. 

Trimming your hair so short will make the shape of the face more obvious. In many ways, it’ll exaggerate the shape of your face, simply because you aren’t able to adjust it using your hair. 

For example, someone with a naturally round face may have previously been able to make it appear longer by styling a quiff back when they had long hair. 

Once they trim a buzz cut, they won’t be able to do this anymore. Because of this, they may find that their face looks rounder and shorter than it ever did before. 

While this isn’t necessarily a bad thing by any means, it could come as a surprise you’d rather not have had. 

The point here is – be aware that a buzz cut may not be the best option for rounder or shorter face shapes. 

Having said all of this, a potential solution to the problem would be growing a beard. It’ll make up for the fact that you can’t elongate the face shape using your hair, by allowing you to do it with a beard. 

The longer and pointier the beard, the less round and short it’ll look. If you feel as though your new buzz cut makes your face look rounder than you’d like, consider growing a beard. 

Buzz Cuts And Widow’s Peaks Vs Receding Hairlines

Buzz cuts can make the difference between a widow’s peak and a receding hairline clearer. 

I mentioned this earlier – it’s one of its benefits. 

Someone with a receding hairline will probably notice that their hairline recedes more at the temples than you’d expect with a true widow’s peak. This distinction becomes more obvious when the hair is clipped down ultra-short, as it is with a buzz cut. 

It may look more like an M-shape as opposed to a V-shape. 

This can come as a surprise, but it’s important to note that buzz cuts are still a great option for people with receding hairlines too. 

I’ve written quite a lot about the benefits of buzz cuts for receding hairlines. 

But the bottom line is that it’s just a great way of embracing balding instead of hiding it. Many people find it a liberating experience not having to hide their receding hairline and just accepting it. 

Receding hairlines often look great when all of the hair is buzzed down short, instead of being hidden behind combed-over hair. 

What Length Of Buzz Cut For A Widow’s Peak? 

When you’ve got a widow’s peak, the length of the buzz cut you choose will partly depend on how obvious you want the widow’s peak to look. 

Essentially, the shorter the buzz cut, the less noticeable the widow’s peak will be. 

Let me explain. 

While a number 3 or a number 4 buzz cut would be short, the hair will still have a bit of height to it. 

The frontal hairline will still be completely noticeable as there’s a clear transition from the forehead to the forelock (i.e hair at the front). 

Compare this with a buzz cut with no guard or a “number zero haircut” instead. 

These are buzz cuts where the hair is all trimmed down using a pair of clippers with no guard attached. It’s as short as you can go with a pair of clippers. 

At these lengths, the hair simply looks like a 5 o’clock shadow across the scalp. It’s barely visible. 

This includes the frontal hairline and the widow’s peak. Because it’s so hard to see where the forehead starts and the hair begins, the widow’s peak becomes a lot less obvious. 

Choosing the right buzz cut length will depend on many factors. When you’ve got a widow’s peak, one of those factors will be how obvious you want it to look. 

Conclusion 

There you have it. Hopefully, everything you could want to know about buzz cuts and widow’s peaks. 

What it looks like and how to decide whether it’s the style for you. 

Enjoy.