22 votes

How's your hair?

Most of the men I know grew their hair long this year. I've got mine at its longest ever and I'm planning to let it keep going for another year. My conditioner use has quadrupled and I used a straightening iron for the first time the other day. Anyone else?

30 comments

  1. [4]
    aphoenix
    (edited )
    Link
    I invested in some clippers and for a long time, I was receiving compliments from people on my haircut through the pandemic. I just tried to do what my previous barber did; a bit more than finger...

    I invested in some clippers and for a long time, I was receiving compliments from people on my haircut through the pandemic. I just tried to do what my previous barber did; a bit more than finger length on top, quite short sides and back with a fade on the right, coming around to a line on the left. The only difficulties I had were dealing with the hair around my crown, which is thinning and hard to cut a fade with.

    In the course of recent events - morning ablutions gone wrong, as I misdirected my clippers - I ended up going with "short all over". I've also opted for a shorter beard this year; usually by midwinter, my beard is about 8 inches long, but I've kept it relatively short (for me), and even shorter than that first image.

    Edit: I edited out the selfies - don't want to pressure anyone else to relinquish more private info than they're comfortable with.

    8 votes
    1. [3]
      Omnicrola
      Link Parent
      We also keep clippers around the house, mostly for trimming. After the first month or two of lockdown it was a pretty easy decision to just trim it myself. Actually the wife trimmed it the first...

      We also keep clippers around the house, mostly for trimming. After the first month or two of lockdown it was a pretty easy decision to just trim it myself. Actually the wife trimmed it the first time, she's been wanting to cut my hair herself for quite awhile so I figured whats the harm. She did a pretty decent job. Another month or two it was feeling a bit long so I just buzzed my own head.

      I've never had long hair, I think the longest its ever been was maybe ~2 inches. Any longer than that and it just bothers me. I've also got a family history of baldness on both sides of the family, so I've been fully prepared for that for a long while. Buzzing it quite short I think is a fine way to neither draw attention to, or seem like I'm trying to hide being bald.

      I've also opted for a shorter beard this year; usually by midwinter, my beard is about 8 inches long, but I've kept it relatively short (for me)

      Very jealous, I can't grow a decent beard though my dad and brother have some nice ones.

      2 votes
      1. [2]
        streblo
        Link Parent
        My wife did my first COVID cut as well. She had used different clipper guards to (try to) fade the back of my head. We thought she did a pretty decent job until a few weeks later when my hair...

        My wife did my first COVID cut as well. She had used different clipper guards to (try to) fade the back of my head. We thought she did a pretty decent job until a few weeks later when my hair started to grow back in. It looked like one of those layered dresses. >.<

        2 votes
        1. Omnicrola
          Link Parent
          That's pretty great. One of the things that made me appreciate a good barber over a crappy one. With a little bit of training someone can cut some hair and have it look ok. With experience,...

          That's pretty great.

          One of the things that made me appreciate a good barber over a crappy one. With a little bit of training someone can cut some hair and have it look ok. With experience, someone can cut hair so that it still looks good a month from now.

          2 votes
  2. [2]
    hairypotter
    Link
    Mine has now reached my shoulders. It gets everywhere and I've started to love my scrunchy as much as my phone. I'll be getting a mullet when I get my first vaccine shot, and a normal haircut...

    Mine has now reached my shoulders. It gets everywhere and I've started to love my scrunchy as much as my phone. I'll be getting a mullet when I get my first vaccine shot, and a normal haircut after my second.

    8 votes
    1. Omnicrola
      Link Parent
      I'd like to go on record as fully endorsing this plan.

      I'll be getting a mullet when I get my first vaccine shot, and a normal haircut after my second.

      I'd like to go on record as fully endorsing this plan.

      6 votes
  3. mrbig
    (edited )
    Link
    I have Black African Brazilian hair. I have a machine and use it to cut my hair very short about once a month. My hair is super simple and the machine paid for itself in a few months. I had...

    I have Black African Brazilian hair. I have a machine and use it to cut my hair very short about once a month. My hair is super simple and the machine paid for itself in a few months. I had several already.

    I don't use hair products (just soap) because my hair treatment is to cut it all out!

    7 votes
  4. [2]
    Erik
    Link
    Like you, mine is long from quar. I got a haircut in March, so I'm not quite at a year, but since then I've stayed out of salons. While we have a set of electric razors, I don't want to have the...

    Like you, mine is long from quar. I got a haircut in March, so I'm not quite at a year, but since then I've stayed out of salons. While we have a set of electric razors, I don't want to have the same haircut as my son. So, I am just letting it grow. Probably the longest it's been in almost two decades, since I was in a touring band.

    Honestly, it's getting a bit annoying now because it's been on the cusp of being able to go back into a pony tail for like two months and I just want to get it up and out of the way. Especially when I'm working out. But the sides are just a little too short yet. I can see why undercuts became a thing, I just want to shave off the sides and be done with it. But undercuts are pretty over now and I'm too old to have one too boot, so I'll just be patient.

    5 votes
    1. joplin
      Link Parent
      This is me, too. Had it long for like 2 decades. Kept it short for the last decade and a half. Got a buzz cut in March and haven't had it cut since. I have been trimming the sides with clippers,...

      This is me, too. Had it long for like 2 decades. Kept it short for the last decade and a half. Got a buzz cut in March and haven't had it cut since. I have been trimming the sides with clippers, though. I use a #4, so they're not too short, but not long enough not to look like a buzz cut on the sides. I'm also old.

      Right now my problem is that it's long enough in the back that it's touching my neck, so it's really irritating for a half hour after I get out of the shower. Yesterday I blew it dry to not deal with that, but blow drying takes up so much time (lol, like 3 minutes), and uses more electricity. But if I don't blow it dry, it ends up pretty wavy in the back which makes it start looking like some sort of grown-out perm mullet from the 80s.

      And same deal with just not quite being able to get it into a coherent pony tail. I'm thinking another month or two.

      3 votes
  5. [4]
    Akir
    Link
    So, so horrible. Can’t risk going to the shop to get it taken care of because the risk of getting COVID is too great, no matter if the state has allowed them to open or not. But at the same time...

    So, so horrible.

    Can’t risk going to the shop to get it taken care of because the risk of getting COVID is too great, no matter if the state has allowed them to open or not. But at the same time I’m balding at a relatively young age. Long hair and bald spots look really bad together.

    I am considering taking the opposite approach and asking a doctor if I can get those magical hair medicines I have heard about.

    5 votes
    1. [3]
      Omnicrola
      Link Parent
      Embrace the baldness friend, just shave it all off. chant one of us. one of us.

      Embrace the baldness friend, just shave it all off.

      chant one of us. one of us.

      4 votes
      1. [2]
        Akir
        Link Parent
        Trust me, I've been thinking about it. But fat and bald isn't a great combination.

        Trust me, I've been thinking about it. But fat and bald isn't a great combination.

        3 votes
        1. Qis
          Link Parent
          Idk your head but there are many fantastic fat bald people, don't count yourself out!!!!

          Idk your head but there are many fantastic fat bald people, don't count yourself out!!!!

          5 votes
  6. Kuromantis
    (edited )
    Link
    Personally I have 2 hairstyles which I use with some regularity. The first is the diet afro which is just letting your hair be curly and disorganized and passing shampoo and hair conditioner quite...

    Personally I have 2 hairstyles which I use with some regularity.

    The first is the diet afro which is just letting your hair be curly and disorganized and passing shampoo and hair conditioner quite often if you don't want your hair to be full of dandruff. Earlier in the pandemic I let my hair grow quite big.

    The second is to go to the hair saloon/barbershop and straighten out my hair and comb it to point back from my head. Sometimes it can be a bit uncooperative when it comes to actually doing this but usually a shower will do.

    Usually I'll ask him to trim off the side hair (and always trim the sideburns.)

    The guy I went to for hair messed up this time and so currently half of my hair is curly and messy in one side and normal in the other, which is a bit funny but unintended.

    4 votes
  7. [5]
    cfabbro
    (edited )
    Link
    I also grew my hair out for about 8-ish months (wasn't keeping track) during quarantine too. Not really due to the pandemic per se, but just because I have been shaving my own head since I was in...

    I also grew my hair out for about 8-ish months (wasn't keeping track) during quarantine too. Not really due to the pandemic per se, but just because I have been shaving my own head since I was in my teens, and never had long hair before so wanted to know what it was like/how I would look. It was an interesting experience, and after the initial awkward stage between my usual crop cut and the hair finally being long enough to lie flat under its own weight, it looked good on me (IMO). However, ultimately it was just too much of a PITA for me to want to keep dealing with it, so about a week ago I finally shaved it all off again.

    As you mentioned, I also noticed that my conditioner use skyrocketed too, as did my shampoo use. Once it got long enough it felt like it was impossible to fully dry my head after my showers just using towels, and I don't own a blowdryer nor did I want to buy one either. So I wound up having damp feeling hair for a few hours after every shower, which was especially annoying when going outside immediately afterwards (Canada is cold!), and when I showered at night since my pillows would sometimes get a bit damp too. That and my towels would also get way wetter than normal after drying myself, leading to them still being a bit damp the next time I needed to use them. That was kinda gross feeling and made me feel like I couldn't reuse them like I'm used to doing, leading to way more laundry. And finally, once my hair got long enough it was also constantly falling in my face, but not quite long enough yet to tie up properly so I just had to keep faffing with it.

    So yeah, it was interesting but too much of a PITA. So bzzzzt, back to normal now. Also, sidenote... when I shaved my head again I found my first grey hairs! :(

    4 votes
    1. [4]
      vord
      Link Parent
      It is totally a PITA, so no judgement for anyone not doing long hair. I've got some tips for long hair for anyone who's interested in keeping up with it (@Qis, @Erik). Keep in mind this works for...

      It is totally a PITA, so no judgement for anyone not doing long hair.

      I've got some tips for long hair for anyone who's interested in keeping up with it (@Qis, @Erik). Keep in mind this works for my hair (curly, little oily), but not necessarily yours. There's plenty of subreddits dedicated to keeping your type of hair healthy.

      • Don't shampoo every time you shower...3 times a week max. I generally only use shampoo once a week. Instead, rinse with water, then "wash" with 1 dime sized bit of conditioner.
      • Every shower, shampoo first, then put in conditioner, but leave it in until you've finished washing the rest of your body before rinsing out, preferably with cooler water.
      • Consider buying leave-in conditioner to put on after you shower. That reduced the amount of conditioner I needed in the shower, and kept my hair from getting super frizzy.
      • When you get out of shower, before drying, put in the leave-in if you have it, then wrap your head in a towel for awhile. Afterwards, fluff your hair with your fingers and let it hang loose until it dries....I periodically fluff and shake head to speed up the process. Blowdryers, especially on hot, are generally terrible for your hair.

      Also, if you're at risk for balding or receeding hairline, don't pull your hair back if you can avoid it. If you need to, use a scrunchy and not a straight elastic band.

      6 votes
      1. [2]
        joplin
        Link Parent
        This is definitely not an option for me. (I'm of Mediterranean descent.) If I don't wash my hair every damn day, it ends up super greasy after a single day. Using only conditioner would make it...

        Don't shampoo every time you shower...3 times a week max. I generally only use shampoo once a week. Instead, rinse with water, then "wash" with 1 dime sized bit of conditioner.

        This is definitely not an option for me. (I'm of Mediterranean descent.) If I don't wash my hair every damn day, it ends up super greasy after a single day. Using only conditioner would make it 10x worse.

        3 votes
        1. vord
          Link Parent
          Entirely possible, different hair is very different. I might even be goofing some of it, https://www.reddit.com/r/HaircareScience/

          Entirely possible, different hair is very different. I might even be goofing some of it,

          https://www.reddit.com/r/HaircareScience/

          3 votes
      2. Erik
        Link Parent
        Interesting to see that I've sort of accidentally adopted some of these without really knowing they were best practice. Thanks for the heads up.

        Interesting to see that I've sort of accidentally adopted some of these without really knowing they were best practice. Thanks for the heads up.

        2 votes
  8. Good_Apollo
    Link
    I hate my hair. It’s thinner on one side of my head (noticeable when it’s short) and overly thick everywhere else, it’s curly and wavy unless it’s less than a 2 inches long, a cowlick in the worst...

    I hate my hair. It’s thinner on one side of my head (noticeable when it’s short) and overly thick everywhere else, it’s curly and wavy unless it’s less than a 2 inches long, a cowlick in the worst place...you can really do Jack shit with it unless you use a bunch of product or straighten it.

    I’ve never been able to nail down a style other than totally straightened like in my highschool scene days, or a big curly mop. When it’s very short I can only pull off “1st grade picture day combed and parted” if you know what I mean.

    That’s my hair story.

    4 votes
  9. vord
    Link
    Haven't been keeping up with the typical maintenance I should (tidy up the edges of beard, trim long hair periodically), but otherwise more or less fairly normal. Helps that I already had a very...

    Haven't been keeping up with the typical maintenance I should (tidy up the edges of beard, trim long hair periodically), but otherwise more or less fairly normal. Helps that I already had a very hands-off approach to dealing with hair and beard, so it wasn't a drastic change for me.

    Although at the beginning of lockdown I shaved completely for first time in 10+ years. Was dealing with a skin issue under the beard, so took the opportunity of not having to see people to resolve that. Wife wouldn't kiss me for 3 days. On the plus side I have some very funny photos of me going through various phases of shaving. My favorite is the one my wife dubbed "Y'all wanna see my gator?"

    3 votes
  10. Adys
    Link
    Shaved it clean two months ago when it became clear hairdressers wouldn't reopen for a while. They reopened four days ago. Good call I'd say :) I did use to have it very long … maybe when I was...

    Shaved it clean two months ago when it became clear hairdressers wouldn't reopen for a while. They reopened four days ago. Good call I'd say :)

    I did use to have it very long … maybe when I was thinner it fit me a bit but not with my current body type.

    3 votes
  11. Eabryt
    Link
    I grew mine out from about June/July - December. My fiancée (girlfriend at the time) had cut it a few times between March-July. Eventually around Christmas I got so sick and annoyed by the long...

    I grew mine out from about June/July - December. My fiancée (girlfriend at the time) had cut it a few times between March-July.

    Eventually around Christmas I got so sick and annoyed by the long hair I actually had her cut it all off to shorter than it's been in 15 years.

    Starting to grow back now and I'm thinking I might let it grow out again.

    3 votes
  12. Basil
    Link
    When I was around 19 I somehow awakened a personality in myself and decided I like having long hair. So since then I have long hair. I shortened it by a bit a few times, but never got it shorter...

    When I was around 19 I somehow awakened a personality in myself and decided I like having long hair. So since then I have long hair. I shortened it by a bit a few times, but never got it shorter than chin length (is that a description of length that makes sense?). Actually, going bald is a thing I fear quite a bit. Yeah I know it's kind of stupid and shallow, but I really like my hair. It kind of feels like a quite important part of me now. So I am hoping I'll be lucky enough to not go bald for quite some time, or ever.

    Since the quarantine started I didn't get it cut at all, so for more than a year now, I think my hair probably isn't even the longest it has ever been yet. I love men with long hair, so more men with long hair is a positive for me.

    3 votes
  13. knocklessmonster
    (edited )
    Link
    For my 29th birthday I got irrefutable evidence of my hair thinning from a birthday video (2019). I already had one of those really high, narrow hairlines, so I've been shaving it for the better...

    For my 29th birthday I got irrefutable evidence of my hair thinning from a birthday video (2019). I already had one of those really high, narrow hairlines, so I've been shaving it for the better part of a year. I've always hated my hairline, so I'm actually happier without it.

    My beard, OTOH, is coming in nicely. I decided I'm only touching the moustache enough to keep it out of my food. It counts because it's technically hair.

    3 votes
  14. Gaywallet
    Link
    My hair is currently the longest it's ever been in my life and I'm in love with the wavy locks. There's so much more I can do with it, but it's definitely a bit more upkeep. I sit pretty firmly in...

    My hair is currently the longest it's ever been in my life and I'm in love with the wavy locks. There's so much more I can do with it, but it's definitely a bit more upkeep.

    I sit pretty firmly in the 'let nature do its course' camp and try to use as little product as possible in my life. I almost never use lotion, I only use chapstick when it's below freezing out, and while I water my hair semi-regularly, I only shampoo and conditioner it around once a month. The natural oils in the hair do a great job at protecting it and keeping it from being too floofy (I hate the first 4-5 days after shampooing because my hair is basically everywhere) and giving it a nice amount of body.

    I do, however, want to talk with my stylist about my particular hair as it's reaching the length where I'm getting enough tangle in the back that I might need to be conditioning it more often or adding oils more often to prevent tangling. It may just not be feasible given my hair type, but it's not super curly so there may be more I can do. It's not problematic at the front and top, but that may also be because I touch it more there. Anyhow, waiting on a professional opinion before I make any major changes.

    3 votes
  15. skullkid2424
    Link
    I also have let my hair grow out. The pandemic had made the whole barber experience less safe, but also its a good time to just try something new. So I have longer hair and a let the beard grow...

    I also have let my hair grow out. The pandemic had made the whole barber experience less safe, but also its a good time to just try something new. So I have longer hair and a let the beard grow out as well. I don't see too many people on a day-to-day basis, but the whole "caveman" look is fairly accepted during the pandemic.

    It took a while, but after talking a lot about hair with my women friends, I've finally switched away from my old routine: head and shoulders, shampoo every 1-2 days and condition once a week. I've now got sulfate-free shampoo and conditioner, and flipped to shampoo twice a week and condition every other day. Its been a fun experience and I'm glad I went for it, but I the long hair is definitely not going to stay. I'll probably go back to shorter hair once I get the vaccine (if only to mark the transition away from the pandemic). The beard may or may not stay. Its better than expected, but not as good as I hoped. Perhaps I'll figure out some way to tame it or trim it that doesn't look like wild caveman or neckbeard.

    I do feel bad for my local barbers though. I'll definitely be tipping like $80 or something when I finally go back (both for a more difficult haircut, and to help with a hard hit business).

    3 votes
  16. streblo
    Link
    Less every day but still rocking more than my daughter.

    Less every day but still rocking more than my daughter.

    2 votes
  17. nukeman
    Link
    I’ve kept it relatively short. Cut it in April and in late January. Since I work in an industrial facility I can’t have it too long.

    I’ve kept it relatively short. Cut it in April and in late January. Since I work in an industrial facility I can’t have it too long.

    2 votes
  18. pArSeC
    Link
    Yup. My hair has always been on the long side (I guess Adam Driver-ish length/style) but I would usually have it cut it back a couple of times a year when it got too hot. Then the pandemic ruled...

    Yup. My hair has always been on the long side (I guess Adam Driver-ish length/style) but I would usually have it cut it back a couple of times a year when it got too hot. Then the pandemic ruled that out, so I just had my partner doing undercuts for a while, and the rest has grown out pretty long. I grew to like my 'man bun'. I'm now growing out the undercut, hoping to get it grown out enough to tie it into the bun before summer, so I don't get too hot and hopefully I can keep the lot!

    I've also taken the time to keep it in good condition and started brushing it, etc. Nothing too fancy - just starting to use a bit more conditioner, combing conditioner through before washing it out, and paying a bit more for decent branded shampoo/conditioner, instead of the dollar store stuff I usually use. I've also got some coconut oil that I put in from time to time to keep it shiny. Consequently, though, I now have really long, silky locks!

    2 votes