Clipper for a Bald Head: How to Shave Yourself Smooth, Without Missed Spots
⏰ Too lazy to read? Here's the summary
For your own head you want a clipper with a wide cutting blade, a motor that holds its speed and no cord, because you're working one handed and partly by feel. Pick 3 mm if you're still getting used to it, 1.5 mm for a close buzz, and 0 mm only if your skin can handle it. Work in three zones, always against the direction of growth, then finish with a crisscross pass.
Doing your own head? That's easiest with a cordless Revahs clipper and a single fixed guard comb.
Why shaving your head is different from a regular haircut
When you cut someone else's hair, you can see what you're doing. Not with your own head. You work in a mirror image, with one hand, over a rounded surface with a crown, a whorl and a neck area you can barely see. That places different demands on your clipper than an ordinary trim.
Three things make the difference. Surface area: a head is large, so with a narrow cutting blade you'll be at it three times as long and you'll get streaks more quickly where passes overlap. Direction of hair growth: hair on your scalp grows in every direction, and at the crown it even grows in a spiral. A clipper that loses power against the direction of growth will leave patches there. Feel instead of sight: you steer by what you feel and hear, and a clipper that stutters or tugs throws that off immediately.
What to look for in a clipper for head hair
A wide cutting blade
The wider the blade, the fewer passes you need and the smaller the chance of visible transitions. For head hair, a full size cutting blade is more comfortable than a narrow trimmer blade. Save that narrow blade for your outline and neckline.
A motor speed that doesn't sag
The number on the box doesn't say much; what matters is whether the speed holds up under load. If it drops as soon as you go against the direction of growth, the clipper will tug at your hair instead of cutting through it. You'll feel that immediately on your scalp, where your skin sits tight against the bone. More on this in what the impact of a high RPM is on your cut.
Cordless, with a battery that lasts
You're reaching your arms around your own head. A cord is literally in the way and pulls your hand off course. Just make sure the battery holds up for a full ten to fifteen minute session at full power and doesn't quietly downshift halfway through.
Ceramic blades
Ceramic stays cooler than steel. During a full head session a cutting blade heats up easily, and warm metal on a bare scalp is something you notice right away. Ceramic blades also hold their edge longer.
Guard combs that stay put
A guard comb that shifts by a millimeter while you're shaving costs you a streak you'll only spot afterwards. Check that the combs actually click into place and don't just clip on loosely.
Which length suits you?
| Setting | Result | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| 6 mm | Short, but clearly visible hair | Your first time, or an uneven head shape |
| 3 mm | Classic buzz cut | The safest starting length; camouflages scars and bumps |
| 1.5 mm | Close cut, scalp shows through | Anyone happy to touch it up every week |
| 0 mm | Practically bald, a light shadow | Only for smooth skin without many bumps |
Start with a setting longer than you think you need. You can always go shorter; you can't go longer.
Step by step: a smooth head in 10 minutes
- Work on dry, clean hair. Wet hair sticks together and lies flat. You'll end up with an uneven cut.
- Comb everything in one direction so you can see which way your hair grows.
- Start on top. Rest the clipper flat against your scalp and pull in straight passes from front to back, each pass overlapping the previous one by a third.
- Then the sides. Bottom to top, against the direction of growth. Keep the clipper flat; tilting it causes streaks.
- Then the back of your head. See the next section for that.
- Go over it crisscross. Wherever you first went front to back, now go left to right. That way you catch any hairs that got flattened by the clipper the first time round.
- Outline. Take off the guard comb and use the bare blade to finish your neckline, ears and sideburns.
- Feel afterward, don't just look. Run your flat hand against the direction of growth over your head. If it feels rough or prickly anywhere, there's still a patch left.
The back of your head: where it usually goes wrong
Nine out of ten self shaved heads end up with a streak or a missed patch at the back. There are two ways to fix that.
Two mirrors: a hand mirror in your left hand, the bathroom mirror in front of you. It takes a moment to get used to the double reflection, but after that you'll see exactly what you're doing.
Blind, in fixed passes: work straight up from your neck, in passes the width of your cutting blade, and count them. Five passes across the whole back, each one from bottom to top. Trust the system, not your eye.
The neckline is the one spot where a second pair of eyes really helps. Keep the line straight and low, just above your natural hairline. The higher you go, the sooner it'll look crooked as it grows out.
Skin, irritation and sunburn
Never shave over a dry, flaky scalp: wash your head the evening before and let it settle. Don't apply too much pressure either. The clipper does the work; pressing only gets you redness and razor burn. Clean your cutting blade before every session, since debris between the blades is the main cause of tugging and irritation; see why your clipper tugs at your hair.
And then the thing most guys forget the first summer: a freshly shaved scalp is skin that's never seen the sun before. SPF 30, even in the Netherlands, even in March.
Clipper or head shaver?
A clipper always leaves a fraction of hair standing. That's exactly why it's so safe. If you want truly smooth, with no shadow at all, you need a shaver built for the shape of a skull.
In practice, plenty of guys use both side by side: the clipper to take off the bulk, the head shaver to finish up. You can read how that second step works in how to shave your head smooth and safe.
Revahs Clipper Two Pro
A wide cutting blade, ceramic blades and an LCD screen showing your battery level, so it won't run out halfway through the back of your head.
Shop Clipper Two Pro — €149.00Prefer a buzz cut first before going fully bald?
Our step by step guide shows you how to do your whole head at one length: buzz cut at home.
Frequently asked questions
Which setting should I use for a bald head?
0 mm without a guard comb gives the shortest result with a clipper: a light shadow. If you want truly smooth, you need a head shaver. For a first time, we recommend 3 mm.
How often do I need to touch up my head?
Head hair grows about 1 cm per month. At 3 mm it stays tidy for around two weeks, at 1 mm around a week.
Why do I still get patches at my crown?
At the crown, hair grows in a spiral, so whichever direction you work in, part of the hair ends up lying flat. Go over it crisscross: first front to back, then left to right.
Can I use a beard trimmer on my head?
For the outline, yes; for the whole head, no. A beard trimmer has a narrow blade and a motor built for short beard hairs. Over a full head session it overheats and starts tugging.
My clipper gets warm on my head. Is that normal?
A little warmth is normal, pain isn't. A cutting blade that gets too hot is usually dry or dirty: clean it and add a drop of oil. If it keeps running warm, the blades are dull.
