Men’s Long Hair 101: The Complete Guide for Growing & Maintaining

You decided to grow long hair.

But How you’re going to do that? Growing and Maintaining Men’s Long Hair is huge. With consistency and a strong mindset of growing long hair, anyone can grow and maintain healthy hair.

If you never mind or get irritated when hair flows above your eyes, you are ready to grow the hair out.

Although, Growing long hair is getting trendy, so, you can be on top of the style game. If you want to grow and maintain men’s long hair, this guide is for you. 

In this blog post, I’ve shared:

• How to grow long hair the right way
• Long Hair Maintenance Tips

And More. Interested! Let’s get started.

Remember: Before deciding to grow long hair, consider your lifestyle. If you are a professional employee or business person, you should think twice about growing long hair.

How to Grow Men’s Long Hair

Growing long hair takes time, money, and slight irritation when hair flows front. If you never mind these three things, you are ready to grow long hair out.

When I decided to grow my hair, I didn’t get the right time because of my college lifestyle where I want to wear a uniform with a tie. So, growing long hair can be inappropriate.

And then, the pandemic started and every barbershop closed. This is when I started to grow out long hair.

I watched almost all YouTube Videos and Articles on “How to Grow Long Hair for Men at Home”.

I take notes, schedule everything on my calendar, and do everything to grow healthy Long hair at home. Guess what, I accomplished. 

After six months of not getting a haircut and growing long hair the right way, I did it.

However, the journey is not that easy for me. In between I got irritated when my front hair portion fell above my eyes. But I feel happy with my long hair when I look in the mirror.

I’m sharing this blog post because I’m on my way to growing long hair for the second time. And this time is going to be different than the first journey.

Also, Read this – 57 Grooming Tips For Men (Hairstyles, Beard Care, And More)

1. Get a Haircut First

The origin of growing hair is to Start with the right haircut. Before starting to grow your hairstyle, you need to have the right haircut. It may sound odd, but it is necessary.

A proper haircut before growing will keep your hair growing evenly.

But you need to communicate with your barber the right way to get the right haircut. Just tell your barber at the beginning, “I’m going to grow long hair and I want a haircut accordingly. 

• Ask your barber for a style that will look good at an in-between stage as your hair lengthens.
• Layers and tapers on the bottom can help to take out the bulk.
• Ask for the nape and sides to be trimmed shorter, so it blends with the longer hair on top as it grows.

By getting this hairstyle, it’ll grow smoothly and evenly all over.

2. Don’t use a Heating Tool

Just throw away all your heating tools like blow dryers, hair straighteners, or any tools. Heating your hair for sure causes damage, split ends, and hair breakage. 

Don’t just try or reduce the usage, just unplug it, pack it, and put it away.

This will directly affect your hair growth. At least for once, just embrace the natural style of your hair texture and waves. You’ll love it.

My hair type is curly plus wavy, I love this hairstyle more than a straight hairstyle which is styled using straighteners.

3. Use the Right Products

When choosing the products, consider avoiding products that contain harsh chemicals like:

• SLS (Sodium Lauryl) 
• SLES (Sodium Laureth Sulfate) 

These chemicals will dry the naturally produced oil in your hair (Sebum) leading to dryness and hair damage, breakage, and so on.

Also, be aware of paraben, phthalates, and silicone-containing products as you may already be aware of.

If you desire to grow long hair, consider growing it naturally using natural ingredients contained in products. Natural is always best, choose products that contain natural ingredients like argan oil, coconut oil, shea butter, etc.

4. Apply Natural Hair Oil

One of my ideal steps of growing long hair naturally.

I used to apply coconut oil daily. Sometimes I get irritated by the oil that slides to my face, Though I applied it. It has a range of benefits:

• Keep your hair moisturized all day
• It’ll help to reduce hair breakage
• Protect your hair from the sun UV rays, smoke, and all

Note the point: Coconut oil also stimulates better hair growth.

More than just normally applying coconut oil on hair, you need to do an effective way of scalp massaging.

• Pour coconut oil and apply to your hair
• Then slightly massage your scalp with coconut oil
• Make sure it goes all the way to the root evenly
• Massage well with a scalp massager
• Leave it for a few hours or overnight is fine
• Then take a shower the next day with shampoo

This will keep your hair and scalp moist and promote hair growth. 

Also, make sure you are doing the coconut hair massage on the weekend or holidays. Don’t just apply a bottle of coconut oil to your head and walk in public, for sure it’ll be embarrassing.

5. Change your Showering Routine

Do you know the natural oil produced from our scalp which is sebum? So, what sebum does is it’ll keep your hair moisturized and lubricate your hair and scalp, keeping them healthy.

If you shower regularly, you’re removing all the natural oil – Sebum from your hair. Which is not good and it’ll slow down your hair growth.

So, you need to change your showering routine.

• Don’t use shampoo all day, wash your hair less often, probably 2 times max per week. On other days, just rinse your hair with cold water.
• Never go hot showering as it’ll dehydrate and splits over time. Instead, use cold water when showering as it is gentler.
• You probably go swimming in a pool that contains chlorine. If you desire to go, consider rinsing your hair after swimming.
• Use conditioner often, 3 to 4 times a week as it’ll keep your hair hydrated and detangle hair without making it greasy.

6. Intake Biotin

Intake biotin supplement is one effective way to grow long hair.

Biotin has essential vitamin B which is good for healthy hair growth and hair thickness.

• Eat biotin-rich foods like eggs, salmon, nuts, sweet potatoes, and seeds. You can incorporate these foods into your daily diet.
• However, it takes 3 to 6 months to work, so be patient with your process and be consistent with it.
• Also, increase protein intake with your biotin as it supports hair growth.

However, you may have a busy schedule and lifestyle. In between times, you might get inconsistent with the biotin intake.

To make it easier for you and be consistent in taking biotin, recently hair gummies are getting popular. It typically contains biotin, all you need to do is take one gummy and chew it as bubblegum.

You can try this way if you are not good at following a diet. By consistently following this step, you are promoting healthy hair, thicker locks, and growing hair.

7. Healthy Lifestyle

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is where we lack. Our work pressure, our daily lifestyle, and eating junkies outside, not getting enough sleep will ultimately affect hair growth.

Having a healthy lifestyle will directly help for long hair growth.

• Eat a well-balanced diet that is rich in protein, iron, zinc, and vitamins A, B, and C. These nutrients promote healthy hair growth.
• Drink water fellas, at least 3 liters a day is good for healthy and staying hydrated.
• Get 7-9 hours of sleep a day. Moreover, getting sleep is not the thing, getting good quality sleep is healthy.
• Stress – Manage it at all costs before it kills you. I’m not going to say do yoga, meditation, blah blah blah. Do what you love and do what makes you happy. This is the real way to avoid getting stressed.
• Exercise regularly is a good way to keep your body fit, and also improves blood circulation which carries nutrients to the scalp and follicles.
• Avoid smoking and drinking alcohol which can damage your hair growth.

This is what a healthy lifestyle is. Making positive lifestyle changes can have a great impact on your healthy hair growth.

Also, read this guide – Complete Grooming Guide For Men: All You Need To Know

How to maintain long hair for men

So, you have grown your hair as you desire. 

Great! Now, how are you going to maintain it healthier? You may get frustrated with the steps I’ve given on growing long hair.

But what comes next is the real thing. More than growing long hair, maintaining it to keep your hair in better condition is daunting.

Here are some practical yet effective ways to maintain your long hair:

1. Maintenance Haircut – Probably 3 to 4 Weeks Once

Yes! It’s necessary. One of the best ways to maintain long hair is you need to have a maintenance haircut every 3 to 4 weeks. Not a regular haircut. You need to have a maintenance haircut.

Getting your hair trimmed will – Remove split ends, retain length, enhance shine and smoothness, less bulkiness, shape style, and create a fresh look instead of fuzzy.

• You need to trim your long hair for 3 to 4 weeks once
• Ask your barber or stylist for a maintenance cut to grow long hair, ask him to take off ¼ or ½ inch of length
• Just make sure that the stylist has been cleared with what you asked, just urge him not to go any shorter than your desired length
• Tell your stylist to add some layers to reduce bulkiness

Be very very sure with your barber that you guys are on the same page. If he goes any shorter, you’ll be losing the growth you’ve worked hard for.

This will keep your ends neat and get rid of damaged hair.

2. Massage your Scalp 3 to 4 Times with Natural Oil

Massaging your scalp regularly will stimulate hair follicles and improve circulation which will encourage hair growth.

I massage my scalp using a bamboo-made scalp massager regularly. For scalp massaging:

• You can also use your fingertips to massage your scalp in a circular motion, applying slight pressure. Consider massaging 10 to 15 minutes a day.
• Instead of normal massaging, you can use essential oils like almond or rosemary oil to massage. This will nourish your scalp.
• Apply oil directly to your scalp and use your fingers to massage it thoroughly before washing your hair.
• For more effectiveness, you can buy a scalp massager brush with soft silicone bristles or bamboo bristles to massage the scalp.
• Also, you need to be gentle when massaging your scalp.

Scalp massaging can help to keep your hair environment-free and healthy to grow longer and stronger. Most men quit before seeing the results, patients are crucial here.

3. Use Conditioner 5 to 6 Times a Week

Conditioning your hair is necessary for properly maintaining men’s long hair healthy. Even if you didn’t wash your hair, you need to consider conditioning your hair to keep it hydrated.

Using conditioner often means:

• You are keeping your hair moisture 
• Smoothening the hair cuticle 
• Detangling, and preventing hair damage when brushing

When you are using conditioner, you need to focus on mid-lengths and ends, as the root tends to get oil faster. Leave it for 2 to 3 minutes before rinsing thoroughly.

Also, make sure the conditioner you are opting for is specially made for your hair type. For instance, if your hair is thick or curly, you need to use a richer conditioner.

However, it’s a simple step that makes a big difference in growing your long hair healthier.

4. Be Nice with Your Hair

Tell me one thing – How do you dry your hair with a towel? Soft or Rough. 

Most of the men, even myself previously, used to take a rough towel and handle my hair roughly to dry out. Guess what – Around 20 to 25 hair of mine is on the towel.

That’s why, you need to handle it with care and gently. 

Be very gentle when brushing and styling to avoid hair damage and breakage.

5. Air Dry Instead of Blow Dry

One of the best things you are going to do to grow long hair is not to use a blow dryer. 

Instead of drying your hair with a blow dryer, try a natural way of drying your hair, probably morning sun or fan or anything whenever possible.

The blow dryer will apply direct heat to your hair, which can damage your hair over time.

When you are air drying, you need to:

• Gently squeeze out excessive water from your hair with a towel after washing
• Then let it finish drying on its own
• Avoid touseling or rubbing roughly with a towel as it’ll break
• Also, you can comb through your hair using a wider tooth comb while it still damp
• Do gently tousle your hair using your fingers when air-drying

Letting your hair air dry will keep it healthy. If you are not familiar with the sundry, try it for once. Just don’t stand at noon when the sun burns you.

Consider it in the morning when the sun rises.

6. Change Your Bed Pillow Cover

Is this work? How can changing a pillow cover will impact my long hair growth? 

According to a study, silk pillowcases help keep hair hydrated with products and essential oils, while reducing friction that can lead to tangles and hair breakage.

So, yes, changing your pillow cover will work better. Consider changing your pillowcase to silk or satin.

More than helping your hair to grow healthier, just imagine how comfortable it gives you while you sleep. It also helps in good quality sleep.

7. Manage your Stress

Stress Management – I know you may have to face a lot of things that make you stressful. But managing your stress is good for both, your hair and your life.

Although, you may get stressed by your long hair itself. 

Because it looks awkward sometimes, anxiety about what other people think of you falls above your eyes.

When you are stressed, your body will produce more cortisol and adrenaline which can disrupt your long hair growth.

As I said, forget everything – Yoga, Meditation, Deep Breathing, and all. 

Just do this – If you like playing football with friends that makes you feel happy and stress relief, just grab the football, call fellas, and go play.

That simple. This is how you can effectively manage stress. I tried yoga and meditation once but it’s not that effective, actually it doesn’t work.

When I am stressed, I play games on my laptop or watch my favorite movies or video songs, which reduces my stress rapidly.

Try it for yourself and let me know.

The Bottom Line

That’s a wrap fella. 

Growing Men’s Long Hair is a wish for most. You may have desired to grow long hair, but due to your lifestyle, you may not be able to achieve it.

If you are serious about growing long hair, this is the complete guide filled with actionable steps you need to follow to grow long and healthy hair. 

Key points:

• Maintenance haircut every 3 to 4 weeks
• Massage your scalp regularly
• Use conditioner often and shampoo less often
• Treat your hair nicely
• Healthy lifestyle
• Change your showering routine
• Avoid chemical-contained products

Having a maintenance haircut every 3 to 4 weeks, scalp massaging, being nice with your hair, using conditioner every 4 to 5 times a week, changing your pillow case, and managing stress.

That’s it from my side. Let’s hear it from you.

Who’s your hair growth inspiration? Whether it’s a celebrity or a friend. Let me know in the comments. Just curious to hear from you.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)