Long flowing hair used to be rarely seen on men. Besides the eccentric artist here and there, men traditionally had short ‘formal’ looking hair. Times have changed, however, and society is a lot kinder to men with long locks. Almost every guy has thought of growing their hair long at least once in their life. And why not? Having long hair has a sense of confidence to it: being able to style it in an uncommon fashion gives a certain sense of pride. Popular actors like Jason Momoa, Keanu Reeves, and Chris Hemsworth definitely add some credence to it too. For sure, long hair on men will only grow popular hereon after.
Thanks to Hollywood using these long-haired actors in wildly popular movies, a lot of men are considering to grow their hair out—be it naturally or via hair transplant. However, the process doesn’t end when your hair touches your shoulders. Having long hair can be quite tedious and fragile, especially if you’re not familiar with how to care for it.
Why Grow Your Hair Long
Okay, if you’re not convinced, we can’t blame you. Why would you go out of your way to do something as bothersome as growing your hair out? Some of your friends and family might even pick on your decision to grow your hair long. But there’s a lot more to just having long hair, there’s a certain sense of philosophy connected to letting your hair loose and grow. Here are some:
1. Patience
Growing your hair to the length you want it to be is an ultimate test of patience. There will be times when it feels too awkward and cumbersome, but the patience you acquire when you commit to growing your hair out is something you’ll carry with you forever.
2. New look
While this might seem obvious, you won’t really know how different or new you’ll look like unless you try it out. And you’ll be surprised! Having long hair can sometimes bring out or highlight positive features in yours.
3. Stoicism
It’s a given: your hair will sometimes get in your way. But if it does, it’s not too big of a deal really. You can simply learn to ignore it’s there and carry on. This teaches you stoicism, remaining calm, and collected amidst stimulus is a skill that will bring you far in today’s times.
How You Can Grow Your Hair Long
Imagine this: you’re already 9 months into growing your hair. It’s at that awkward stage where it’s not long enough to be tied in a ponytail but long enough to get in the way. What’s worse is that it’s become tough to manage, with your hair beginning to frizz and the ends begin to split. Here’s what you can do to keep it in a healthy shape to make sure it looks best when it’s long enough.
1. Conditioner is your friend
The very truth is that you don’t need to shampoo every day. Frequently using shampoo can lead to dry hair and a damaged itchy scalp. While you don’t need to ditch shampooing entirely, you can try washing with conditioner instead. Particularly, if you’re not a heavy user of styling products, conditioner washing should suffice.
2. Don’t use hot water on your hair
If you like hot baths, then stave off from using hot water to wash your hair. High temperatures can make your hair dry and easy to break- at worse it can weaken the roots, something that you definitely don’t want if you’re growing your hair out. While there are some benefits to it, since it’s great when you really need to clean your hair, it’s best to use it as rarely as you can.
3. Keep off the hairdryer
We’ve already established that high temperatures can make the hair weak, and it goes without saying that this includes using hair dryers. If you absolutely need to use a hairdryer, you’re better off putting it at warm or cool, rather than hot. You should always let your hair dry on its own as this prevents your hair from being damaged further.
4. Stay healthy
The hair is a part of our body. As such, it’s also susceptible to weakening or breakage when we’re unhealthy. Having hair problems is indicative of something else happening: nutritional deficiency, lack of hydration, or a need for natural oils. In essence, to keep the hair healthy means we need to keep ourselves healthy as well.
Growing your hair out might seem like a challenge at first, and perhaps it is. But like all challenges, it’s satisfying once you accomplish it- plus you get the bonus of looking like a rockstar. Learn to persevere and to take care of your hair, and your long hair journey will be a lot smoother.
