Haircuts often invite conversation, but few have sparked such a change in the way that we perceive the notion of femininity than the buzz cut. There is always a reason behind a woman choosing to go for a buzz cut; either a statement she is trying to make or a desire she has to wipe the slate clean. With everyone from models Ruth Bell and Adwoa Aboah, to Kristen Stewart and Katy Perry taking the plunge, it seems the buzz cut ideally bleached blonde is the haircut du jour. So what you should you know if you're thinking of taking the plunge?

Celebrities are no strangers to changing up their looks, especially when it comes to their hair. They can dye it, chop it, add extensions to it, and more, but some A-listers have taken the plunge to buzz their hair off completely. Audiences saw her long hair in "Star Wars," where she had it pulled back and twisted into fancy rolls fit for her queenly character. Portman's real hair was shaved in one of the movie's scenes and she told MovieWeb in that they had to do it in just one take. In , the actor told Glamour that, growing up, they were "basically doing anything to make [their hair] look straight. Why have I been fighting this component of myself for so long?

With her role as Imperator Furiosa in Mad Max , Theron proved a female action hero can kill it at the box office — no flowing hair or sparkly makeup necessary. Unlike many of the celebs on this list, the American Idol alum didn't shave her head for a role or for style — she did it to show solidarity for her childhood best friend who was battling breast cancer. See how prettily short hair shows off the singer's face?

Every once in a while, a role demands a little something extra from an actor — like shaving off all their hair. Most of the time, there's a talented star willing to rise to the challenge. In case you needed any inspiration to go for a close-crop or shorter this summer, we've rounded up 40 stars who grabbed the clippers to get into character. Yes, Christian Bale is supporting a very bad head of hair here.