Quick answer: Zac Efron haircuts start with the long, side-swept bangs of High School Musical in the mid-2000s, then move through a sixties pompadour, a near-buzz around 2011 to 2012, spiked and bleached tops in the mid-2010s, platinum blond around 2019 and a mullet around 2021. Each needs a different top length.
Zac Efron Haircut Styles at a Glance
Every style on this page with its clipper guard, top length and trim interval. Tap a name to jump to that card.
Zac Efron haircuts are a short history of the heartthrob cut, from mid-2000s shaggy bangs to buzzed, bleached and mullet looks later on. This page sorts 12 widely photographed ones into fringes and shaggy cuts, film role looks, and short or bleached styles, with the guard numbers, top length, trim schedule and words to use at the barbershop for each.
Why Do Zac Efron Haircuts Keep Coming Back?
The long side-swept bangs he wore in the mid-2000s became one of the most requested teen cuts of that decade, and the shape is back in barbershops as part of the wider return of fringes and curtains. His later looks, from buzz cuts to platinum blond, cover the opposite end of the scale. The images on this page show generic models in similar cuts, not the actor himself.
Only looks that appear widely in film stills and press photos are included, and dates are approximate, such as around 2014. Some film looks may have used color or styling that is hard to repeat daily, so each card describes a wearable version. For more famous looks from actors, athletes and musicians, see our celebrity haircuts hub. Each card lists the guard numbers, top length and trim schedule.
How Do His Fringe, Film and Short Looks Compare?
The fringe looks need three to five inches at the front and very little clipper work, which makes them slow to grow but easy to maintain. The film looks are styled versions of period cuts, so they need product and a blow-dry. The short and bleached looks take the least time each morning but need frequent trims or color appointments. The table shows where each group starts so you can match it to your hair today, and the heartthrob cut guide covers the fringe family.
How Do His Fringe, Film and Short Looks Compare?
Look
Rough era
Top length
Sides
Upkeep
Troy Bolton bangs
Mid-2000s
4 to 5 in, over the brow
Scissor cut over ears
Every 5 to 6 weeks
Hairspray pompadour
2007
4 to 5 in, combed up
Short, tapered
Every 3 to 4 weeks
Buzz cut
Around 2011 to 2012
#2 to #3
Same or shorter
Every 2 to 3 weeks
Spiked top
Around 2014 to 2015
2 to 3 in
Short, tapered
Every 3 to 4 weeks
Platinum blond
Around 2019
1 to 2 in
Short
Color every 4 to 6 weeks
Mullet
Around 2021
2 to 3 in, long at back
Short
Every 4 to 6 weeks
Who Suits a Zac Efron Haircut?
Most of these looks were worn with a square jaw and an oval to square face, so those shapes can try nearly all of them. Long faces suit the bangs and shaggy cuts, which cover part of the forehead. Round faces do better with the spiked top, the pompadour and the slicked looks, which add height. Heart-shaped faces suit the side-swept fringe, because it softens a wider forehead.
Hair type decides how much styling each look needs. The fringe cuts rely on straight to slightly wavy hair that falls forward. Thick, coarse hair suits the pompadour and spiked top. Bleached looks are kinder to healthy, medium-thick hair; fine or damaged hair can break after lightening, so ask a colorist to check before booking platinum. A barber can also adjust the fringe direction around a cowlick.
Filter the styles
Showing all 12 styles
Fade
Hair
Length
Zac Efron Bangs, Shaggy Cuts and Mullet
These four looks keep length at the front or back and use scissors more than clippers. The textured fringe gallery shows shorter versions of the same idea.
Trim:Every 5–6 weeks. The bangs need trimming before they hit the eyes.
Best For:Long, oval, heart faces + straight or slightly wavy hair.
About This Style
Long bangs swept across the forehead, with the sides covering the tops of the ears, defined his High School Musical look in the mid-2000s. The fringe is four to five inches and cut at an angle so it falls to one side, and the back sits on the collar. Light caramel highlights were often part of it. It is all scissor work, so there is no clipper line anywhere.
How to Style at Home
Blow-dry the fringe across the forehead in the direction it falls.
Work a small amount of styling cream through the ends to reduce frizz.
Tuck the side pieces lightly over the ears with your fingers.
Ask Your Barber
"Long side-swept fringe to the eyebrows, sides covering the tops of my ears and the back on the collar. Scissor cut with layers so it moves."
Trim:Every 4–5 weeks. A neat sweep loses shape faster than a shaggy one.
Best For:Oval, heart faces + fine to medium straight hair.
About This Style
Neater than the Troy Bolton version, the side-swept bang he wore with suits around 2007 keeps the fringe slightly shorter and the sides tidy around the ears. The front is three to four inches, swept across in one smooth piece, and the back is tapered with scissors. It works for formal events and offices where a shaggier cut would look out of place. Fine, straight hair sweeps most easily.
How to Style at Home
Comb the fringe across while blow-drying on medium heat.
Smooth a little light pomade over the surface for a soft shine.
Keep the sides flat with your palms so the fringe stays the focus.
Ask Your Barber
"Side-swept fringe of three to four inches, neat and smooth. Tidy the sides around the ears and taper the back with scissors."
Best For:Oval, long faces + wavy or thick straight hair.
About This Style
At its longest around 2009, his hair grew into a shaggier take on the Troy cut, falling over the ears and below the collar. Choppy layers through the crown keep it from turning heavy, and the fringe is left long and pushed aside. It needs less daily effort than the neat sweep. Wavy hair gives the best texture, while very thick hair needs bulk removed to avoid a triangle shape.
How to Style at Home
Spray sea salt into towel-dried hair from roots to ends.
Rough-dry it with your fingers instead of a brush.
Push the fringe to one side and leave the rest messy.
Ask Your Barber
"Shaggy layered cut, over the ears and just below the collar, with a long fringe pushed aside. Take out bulk so it does not puff at the sides."
Trim:Every 4–6 weeks. Sides need clipping while the back grows.
Best For:Oval, square faces + straight, wavy or curly hair.
About This Style
Short on the sides with longer hair on top and at the back, the barbershop cut he got around 2021 was widely described as bordering on a mullet. The sides are clipped with a #2 or #3, the top is two to three inches, and the back is left a couple of inches longer, just past the collar. It is a soft, modern mullet rather than a dramatic one.
How to Style at Home
Scrunch a little curl cream or sea salt into the back for texture.
Push the top forward or slightly up with your fingers.
Keep the sides flat so the longer back shows from the side.
Ask Your Barber
"Soft mullet, sides clipped with a #2 or #3, two to three inches on top and the back left a couple of inches longer, just past the collar."
Recommended Products
Sea Salt Spray
Curl Cream
Zac Efron Pompadour and Film Role Haircuts
These four are styled versions of period or character cuts, from a sixties pompadour to a seventies part. The modern pompadour guide explains the blow-dry behind the tallest one.
Trim:Every 3–4 weeks. Short tapered sides keep the shape tall.
Best For:Round, oval faces + thick straight or wavy hair.
About This Style
Dyed dark and combed up into a shiny sixties pompadour, the hair in Hairspray (2007) is the most styled look in this gallery. The top is four to five inches, combed up and back into a rounded front, and the sides are short and tapered with a #2 to #3. Traditional pomade gives the shine. A modern version uses a water-based pomade, which washes out more easily.
How to Style at Home
Blow-dry the front up and back over a round brush.
Comb a strong pomade through, rolling the front into a curve.
Press the sides back and flat with the comb.
Ask Your Barber
"Sixties pompadour, taper the sides with a #2 to #3, leave four to five inches on top, longest at the front, so I can comb it up into a roll."
Trim:Every 3–4 weeks. Short sides keep the slick back clean.
Best For:Oval, square faces + straight medium hair.
About This Style
Slicked back as if he had just come out of the sea, the look in Baywatch (2017) uses a wet-finish product on a short to medium top. The top keeps about three inches, combed straight back, and the sides are short and tapered so the slick back sits neatly. It is quicker than the pompadour because it needs no blow-dry, only product and a comb through damp hair.
How to Style at Home
Run a wet-look gel through damp hair from front to back.
Comb everything straight back with a wide-tooth comb.
Leave it to dry without touching so it keeps the wet finish.
Ask Your Barber
"Short tapered sides with a #2, about three inches on top so I can slick it straight back with gel. Keep the top weight, not thinned."
Trim:Every 3–4 weeks. Short back and sides need a tidy finish.
Best For:Oval, long, square faces + straight or wavy hair.
About This Style
Combed into a period side part, the look in The Greatest Showman (2017) is a tidy short back and sides with a longer, slightly wavy top. The sides are scissor cut close but not faded, and the top keeps three to four inches, combed across from a low part with a soft shine. It is a gentle version of the old-fashioned gentleman's cut and sits well with a suit.
How to Style at Home
Set a side part on your natural parting with a comb.
Comb a light pomade through the top, following the part.
Let a slight wave remain at the front instead of combing it flat.
Ask Your Barber
"I'd like a short back and sides with scissors, no fade. Three to four inches on top with a low side part, combed across with a light shine."
Trim:Every 5–6 weeks. The longer seventies shape grows out softly.
Best For:Oval, long faces + straight or wavy hair.
About This Style
Built for a film set in the 1970s, the look he wore around 2019 is a medium-length side part with fuller sides and a feathered finish. The hair covers the tops of the ears, the part sits slightly off center, and the top is blow-dried back and across. No clippers are used. It suits long faces because the fuller sides add width and the side part breaks up the length.
How to Style at Home
Blow-dry the top across from the part with a round brush.
Brush the sides back over the ears as they dry.
Finish with a mist of sea salt spray for light hold.
Ask Your Barber
"Medium-length seventies cut with a side part, sides over the tops of my ears, feathered layers, scissor cut all over."
Recommended Products
Round Brush
Sea Salt Spray
Zac Efron Buzz Cut, Spikes and Blond Looks
These four keep the hair short and change the color or texture instead. The bleached haircuts gallery has more blond options and advice on color upkeep.
Trim:Every 2–3 weeks. The outline matters more than the length.
Best For:Oval, square faces + any straight or wavy hair.
About This Style
Cropped almost to a buzz around 2011, then kept short to play a Marine in The Lucky One (2012), this is his most practical look. A #2 or #3 runs over the top, with the sides a guard shorter and tapered at the neck. It shows off a square jaw and needs no styling. Hair grows back into a short crop in about a month, so it is a low-risk change.
How to Style at Home
Wash with a gentle shampoo and dry with a towel.
Rub a drop of scalp oil in if the skin feels dry.
Tidy the neckline with a trimmer at home in week two.
Ask Your Barber
"Can you do a short buzz, #3 on top and #2 on the sides, tapered at the neck. Keep the front natural and clean around the ears."
Trim:Every 3–4 weeks. Spikes flop once the top grows longer.
Best For:Round, oval faces + thick straight hair.
About This Style
Around 2014 to 2015, his look paired short sides with a lightly spiked top and was often worn with a beard. The top keeps two to three inches, point cut and pushed up with matte product, while the sides are tapered with a #2. It adds height without a full quiff and takes a couple of minutes to style. Thick, straight hair gives the cleanest spikes.
How to Style at Home
Towel-dry and push the top up with your fingers.
Rub matte clay between your palms and pull small pieces upward.
Pinch the tips to separate them without making them sharp.
Ask Your Barber
"Taper the sides with a #2, leave two to three inches on top and point cut it so it spikes up lightly with clay. Keep it textured."
Trim:Every 3–4 weeks. Tips need cutting before roots take over.
Best For:Oval, heart faces + medium thick straight hair.
About This Style
Bleached tips on a short, textured top gave his look around 2016 a nineties boy band feel. Only the last half inch or so of each piece is lightened, so the roots stay dark and the contrast shows when the hair is spiked. The cut underneath is a two-inch textured crop with short sides. It looks best fresh and grows out within a few weeks, so it suits a short-term change.
How to Style at Home
Shampoo with a color-safe product to stop the tips yellowing.
Push the top up and forward with a little matte paste.
Pinch the lightened ends so they separate and catch the light.
Ask Your Barber
"Textured crop with about two inches on top and short tapered sides. I am bleaching the tips, so point cut the top so each piece separates."
Trim:Every 3–4 weeks. Color roots show within a month.
Best For:Oval, square faces + healthy straight or wavy hair.
About This Style
Icy platinum, worn short and set against a darker beard, was his look around 2019. The cut is a short crop of one to two inches with tapered sides, which keeps the bleached hair healthy and makes regrowth easier to manage. The contrast between pale hair and dark stubble is the point, so keep the beard trimmed rather than full. Expect a colorist visit every four to six weeks.
How to Style at Home
Use purple shampoo once a week to keep the platinum cool.
Apply leave-in conditioner after every wash to protect the bleached hair.
Style with a small amount of matte cream, pushing the top forward.
Ask Your Barber
"Short crop with one to two inches on top and tapered sides. I am going platinum, so keep it short and remove any damaged ends."
Recommended Products
Leave-In
Matte Cream
Beard Oil
How Do You Ask Your Barber for a Zac Efron Haircut?
Name the look and the era, then give the numbers. For the bangs, say how far down the forehead the fringe should fall and that the sides should be scissor cut over the ears. For the short looks, name the guard for the sides and the length on top in inches. Bring a front and side photo of the look, because his hair has changed so often that a name alone can mean three different cuts. Our how to talk to your barber guide helps with phrasing.
Color is a separate appointment. Platinum and bleached tips usually need a colorist rather than a barber, and going from dark brown to platinum can take more than one session. Ask for a toner afterward so the result is icy rather than yellow, and plan for root touch-ups every four to six weeks. Patch-test the bleach first if your scalp is sensitive.
Clipper Guards Used in Zac Efron Haircut Styles
A clipper guard is the plastic comb that clips onto the blade and sets how much hair is left: a #1 leaves 3 mm (1/8 inch), each step up adds about 3 mm. The right column lists the cards on this page that call for each guard. See the full clipper guard numbers guide for the complete chart.
Fringe looks need a blow-dry in the direction the bangs fall, then a small amount of styling cream or matte paste. The pompadour and slicked looks need pomade and a comb. Spiked and short tops need only matte clay or texture powder. Bleached hair needs a purple shampoo once a week, a leave-in conditioner and less heat from the dryer. Our pomade vs clay vs wax guide compares the hold of each product.
Short looks need trims every two to four weeks. Fringe and mullet looks can go five or six weeks, though the bangs may need a quick trim in between if they reach the eyes. Growing from a buzz cut to Troy Bolton bangs takes about six to nine months, so book shaping trims rather than full cuts. A silk pillowcase also helps bleached hair.
Which Zac Efron Haircut Is Right for You?
Pick your hair type and how much upkeep you will put in. The matches below come from the Best For and Maintenance notes on each card. Upkeep follows the Maintenance badge: low means a cut every 3 to 6 weeks and almost no daily styling, high means weekly line-ups or daily product.
It is a long, side-swept fringe, sometimes called shaggy bangs. The front falls across the forehead and over the eyebrows, the sides cover the tops of the ears, and the back sits on the collar. It is cut with scissors and layered so the fringe moves. Barbers may also call it a mid-2000s heartthrob cut.
Q2: How long does hair need to be for Zac Efron's bangs?+
About four to five inches at the front, enough to reach the eyebrows when swept to one side. The sides need two to three inches to cover the tops of the ears. From a short cut, expect six to nine months of growth with trims that only shape the back and neckline.
Q3: What hairstyle did Zac Efron have in Hairspray?+
A dark sixties pompadour, combed up and back from the forehead with shine. The top is about four to five inches, the sides are short and tapered, and the hair is set with pomade. It is a classic greaser-era shape, and a modern version uses a lighter pomade and a slightly shorter top.
Q4: How do you get platinum blond hair like Zac Efron?+
Book a colorist, not just a barber. Dark hair usually needs bleaching in one or two sessions, followed by a toner to remove yellow. Keep the cut short, around one to two inches on top, so the hair stays healthy. Use purple shampoo weekly and expect root touch-ups every four to six weeks.
Q5: Does a Zac Efron mullet work on thin hair?+
It can, if the back is kept modest. Thin hair shows scalp when the top is cut short and the back is grown long, so ask for a softer mullet with two to three inches on top and the back just past the collar. Texture powder at the roots helps the top look fuller.
Q6: Are the photos on this page of Zac Efron?+
No. The images show generic models wearing cuts similar to the looks described, so you can see the shape and length. They are illustrations, not photos of the actor. For a closer match, look up a press photo or film still from the era named on the card and show it to your barber.
