How to grow long hair (men)

First off, if you’re reading this I would just like to say welcome to the brotherhood of long, flowing and beautiful hair. Growing out your hair as man is a big commitment, and even more so a major appearance transformation. This article will have you covered on how to grow and care for your long hair.

I started my hair growth journey back in high school, and let me just say that I certainly did not do it the right way.

I never visited the barber shop and barely kept up with any maintenance. All I did was shampoo and pick my hair out into an Afro style and call it a day. Don’t be like me (please).

Luckily I’ve realized sooner than later that I had to actually do more to take care of my hair, and experienced with many different styles. It took me a while to find out that I actually have curly hair, which did not show up until i started to improve my habits and keep up with daily maintenance.

Whether you’re rocking the Brad Pitt slick back with a middle part, a Troy Polamalu curly mane, or even a straight up Afro style, this article has you covered for all your long hair needs.

How to grow long hair

Make sure you can actually grow your hair.

Before you even think about getting a long style, you should first make sure you’re a good candidate.

Long hair is more suitable for those with thick or curly hair. Straight/thin hair tends to grow in a more awkward and stringy pattern, making an unattractive look when long.

Also if you’re noticing some thinning and balding you should probably stay away from growing your hair and stick to a buzz cut or a closer cropped hair cut. Growing a beard out is always a nice option for my guys rocking the bald look. You can check out my guide How to grow a beard if you want to have an impeccably styled and sharp beard.

Visit the barbershop/hairstylist.

I can’t stress enough how important this step is. VERY rarely is there any guy out there that can successfully rock long hair that isn’t styled or shaped up.

I’ve seen guys go months, or even years without a visit to the salon and they just end up looking unkept and unprofessional. Having your hair grow is more than just kicking your feet back and waiting for the growth. The difference a shape up can make is night and day.

If you’re going for a full head of hair, I would recommend getting a low taper with a lineup. If you’re going for a hairstyle that involves more hair just on the top, go for something like a mid fade.

Or you could simply just walk into your nearest shop and let them know what you want to do with your hair. They are the professionals after all, and will know what style fits best for your goals.

You should visit the barber shop at the very least once a month. A fresh shapeup and a sharp hairline will always give you a more professional look no matter how long your hair is.

How to style/maintain long hair

While growing your hair longer, you will quickly realize how much more work it can take to manage and tame long hair on a daily basis.

Whenever I wake up in the morning, my hair is usually matted to one side because of how thick and curly it is. It can take a minute to get it exactly how I want it to be. So definitely plan on making your styling routine a bit longer than before.

Here are a few tips and tricks to make your life a LOT easier while dealing with long hair:

Plan showers accordingly.

The absolute biggest inconvenience of long hair is how long it can take to dry. When I shower it can take 4-6 hours to dry completely, so to combat this I’ll adjust my shower times.

Personally I prefer to take my showers either early in the morning or at night when my day is over. Either way you do it, just try to avoid soaking your hair in the middle of the day.

Do not blow dry your hair.

I’ve tried blow drying in the past, and every time I do I just end up looking like I got struck my lightning. Too much frizz and absolutely no definition.

Air drying is always the best course of action. I know it can take a while for long hair to completely dry, just like I mentioned in the step above. But the result of your hair being air dried is miles better than using a blow dryer.

If you are in an absolute rush and have no other choice, then at least use a diffuser attachment. This will help you control your style more and speed up the drying process. But just keep in mind that you still run the risk of heat damage and frizz.

Wear a bonnet and get a satin pillowcase.

Bonnets and satin pillow cases play a major role in preserving curl patterns, reducing frizz, and maintaining moisture in the hair.

Whenever you go to sleep you should ALWAYS have a bonnet on. They benefit all hair types, from straight and thin to thick and fine. Adopting a bonnet into your hair care routine will guarantee reduced breakage and enhance your overall hair health.

The satin pillow case is more of an extra step, however I have noticed significant improvement in my hair after I invested in one. Just make sure your hair is being protected by a satin or silk material.

Use the right products.

Choosing the right products that suits your hair can be a daunting task. But don’t overthink it, the most important thing is that your hair is consistently moisturized.

If you want to focus more on keeping your curls maintained, I would highly recommend going with a more curl focused conditioner like Shea Moisture Curl & Shine conditioner. This is the conditioner I used that really helped enhance my journey to healthy long hair. If you want to go more in-depth, then check out our research backed article Top conditioner for Men, where we go over the best condtioners for all har types.

Other than conditioner, you should also use some sort of leave in to keep all the moisture locked in throughout the day.

Detangle with your fingers or wide tooth comb.

This step is very important to keeping your hair looking healthy and maintained. Make sure to always detangle while your hair is wet to avoid as much breakage as possible. Start from the roots and detangle all the way out to your ends.

For me, I find that using my fingers works best for my hair. However for many it may be best to use a wide tooth comb instead. You can always test both out and see which gives you better results.

Conclusion

Well there you have it, you now have all the essential tools needed to be able to get that long mane you’ve so long desired for. As long as you follow all the steps and tips above, you will have no trouble taming your long hair. Good luck on your journey brother!