A Man's Complete Guide to Growing Long Locks

A well-maintained head of long hair can look brilliant on any guy. Nevertheless, as you could guess, taking care of a long hairstyle can be a bit of a chore. This is expressly true for men who are more comfortable with taking care of shorter hair. Because hair health starts at the roots, before growing out your hair completely, it’s important that you take care of it.

Prior to growing out your hair, make sure to have realistic goals and make certain that the care of long hair is going to be something that will fit in with your routine. Though all that long hair gives off a carefree attitude, it actually requires more time and maintenance than short hair.

When initially growing out your hair, take note: the hair on the sides and back of your head grows faster than the hair on top. So, until things even out you’ll want to keep hair longer on top and shorter at the sides and back.

There comes a time during your hair-growing journey when your hair is no longer short enough to pass as just an overgrown haircut, but not long enough to pass for legit long hair. During this stage, your hair may poof out at the sides and create a bedhead look, and not in a good way. You may try to pull your hair back, only to realize that a couple random strands of hair are hanging around haphazardly around your face.

Washing

Having long hair will make you want to shampoo and style more often, even daily, but it's not good for your hair. Long hair is more prone to damage. It doesn’t matter if you’ve found the best men’s shampoo that money can possibly buy. If you’re shampooing your hair every single day, you can kiss your long hair goals goodbye. Using shampoo daily will strip the precious oils from your scalp and weaken your hair. This will cause split ends, which will travel up your hair shaft and cause hair damage.

To grow hair out faster, limit your shampoo usage to once or twice a week. Always opt for cold water to wash your hair, it will help to trap the moisture and stop your hair from becoming dry as the cold water closes the hair shaft and helps to trap in the moisture. Hot water strips the natural oils from your scalp, making it more susceptible to damage and breakage.

You're also going to want to determine what the right shampoo and conditioner are for your hair type if you haven't yet. Prior to shampooing, make sure your hair is free of tangles. Work the shampoo through your hair like you normally would, but remember that it should take longer, reaching every strand. Follow the same steps with conditioner, keeping in mind that most conditioners require two or three minutes to work their magic.

Drying

After washing your hair, be very careful not to brush it when wet. You’ll overstretch the follicle and make hair weak. If you use a blow dryer, apply a thermal styling spray to coat the hair and protect it from damage, use a wide-tooth comb to prevent pulling, and always leave the hair slightly damp. Strangely, towel drying can be a major cause of damage to men’s' hair when it's long. This is mainly because hairs can become tangled in the threads and break off when vigorously rubbed with a towel. So, don’t rub too hard– shake out any excess water and stroke your hair in the direction it grows rather than rubbing it back and forth and invest in some expensive towels.

Brushing & Styling

Invest in a wide-tooth comb and a high-quality hairbrush with natural boar bristles to help detangle hair and to prevent breakage. Brushing your hair regularly with a gentle hairbrush can help speed up hair growth in several ways. It helps distribute your hair’s natural oils all the way to the tips, improving the appearance of your hair.

Additionally, brushing your hair can stimulate blood flow to the scalp, which has been shown to improve the health of hair.

If you intend to keep your hair in an updo, finding the right cloth-covered hair elastics that don’t put strain on the hair is crucial. Keep in mind that wearing tight hats or very tight ponytails can cause a condition called traction alopecia, which is hair loss from pulling hair too tight. Wearing a tight hat or ponytail can also stretch the hair, causing it to frizz and break.

Using products that aren’t right for your scalp type or hair thickness can leave your hairdo looking like a hair-don’t. Here’s a quick refresher on hair products that can help you make better choices for your hair type:

Gel – Gives you the wet look that stays in place. It’s a high-shine, high-hold product.

Putties – Putties are high-hold, low shine and aren’t as stiff as gels.

Wax – There’s no question that wax holds your hair in place. Although, it’s definitely tougher to get out of your hair because it’s oil-based.

Pomade – Pomade is great for achieving retro looks and a high shine. But just note they tend to have a lesser hold than other products.

Paste – Paste is a great option for you if you have medium to long hair. They usually have a medium shine and hold.

Muds & Clays – As muds and clays are inherently drier than other products for men’s hair, they tend to be matte. Muds and clays range from low to high hold and everything in between.

Sea Salt Spray – Sea salt spray is a fantastic option for achieving textured, matte hair that's touchable and moves naturally.

Trim Regularly

The end goal is long hair, but that doesn’t mean you can just skip seeing your hairstylist for a year. Trimming not only gets rid of split ends but it also promotes hair health. Visiting the hairdresser roughly every three months is recommended.

Head Massage with Oil

In terms of hair care, giving yourself a head massage now and then will help to stimulate the roots and encourage growth. Regular stress can tighten the scalp and cause premature hair thinning. Adding special hair oils like Thone Pan Hla adds an instant improvement - and a bit of luxury - to your hair care routine. Your hair will not only look and feel silky, but it will also be better protected from heat and the world outside your front door.

General Health

Ultimately, the condition of your hair tends to reflect the condition of your body. An essential part of hair care for men is having a well-rested night’s sleep, getting plenty of exercise, drinking water and eating well. Eating a balanced diet will provide your body with all the hair-boosting vitamins it needs to grow out your hair, such as biotin, folic acid and vitamins A, C, D and E.

Vitamin E in particular has been shown to have several benefits for men, including the potential ability to speed up hair growth.