new thread
Hi all!
I've shaved my head for years now...no maintenance, no hair cut costs, easy! I've grown tired of the lack of hair style choices, coldness in the winter, and being all too often mistaken for a neo-nazi. So I'm growing it out!
I'm not 100 percent sure yet, but I'm really thinking I'm growing out all the way to "longhair" status. I've thought about it for years, and I think now is the time! I have no concerns about harassment or career issues, as I'm a music student, so a fair amount of my peers and employers have long hair anyway!
So here are my questions: I haven't cut my hair in a few months, and again, going from cue ball bald here. I've heard all the stories about trimming and shaping during growth, but my theory is that I started with nothing, so I can just STOP CUTTING, and wait for my hair to gloriously grow.
Is that thinking right? I do wonder if I need to trim the back to wait for the front and sides to catch up and avoid a mullet.
Thanks for the help!
Your first thoughts are the correct ones. You're looking at about a year from now for glory. The time in between will be tough and you'll be tempted and pressured to "fix" your hair but that will only lose you time. You are probably a creative person, so take each day of the "awkward stage" that you'll be in as a challenge to do something fun.
To avoid a "mullet", just comb and style your hair in a non-mullet fashion. For me, I started at the beginning combing my hair straight back (which you'll have to wait about 3 months for) and used lots of gel and mousse to keep it that way. It's now 3 years later and well past my shoulders - what women would call "bra strap length".
Good luck - persevere - be creative - and have fun.
AndrewB
Go for it. Have longhair at least once in your lifetime. It's awesome!
Congrats on making the decision to grow your hair out!
Maintenance cutting through the awkward stage or not both have advantages and it comes down to personal choice.
Not cutting gives you quick results, shoulderlength or below in a year. A midback or below awesome mane in three years.
Cutting keeps it tidy at the back and sides till the front catches up (90's grunge era look) but it'll take you 6 months to a year longer to reach the same length at the back.
Being inexperienced and not having found a website like this resulted in me maintenance cutting for nearly a year before I finally let go. Three years in I don't regret it now, my hair is mostly the same length all over, over half a meter, and has started to look pretty good. However I could of had an extra 10cm length at the back easy.
Goodluck!
Sounds good to me --- a perfectly logical conclusion, I'd say!!
If you've thought about it for a long time, then my guess is that NOW is definitely the time to stop procrastinating doing this (LOL)!!
I have no concerns about harassment or career issues, as I'm a music student, so a fair amount of my peers and employers have long hair anyway!
That means that you're already surrounded by a lot of smart people then!
You won't actually "know" how you'll truly feel about looking at yourself in the mirror until you get some actual hair length there. (Kind of like not really knowing what it feels like to be married until you actually ARE married; or, to use another example, you won't really know what it feels like to get "old" until you actually ARE old!)
A mullet is an actual hairCUT --- an intentional "style" (such as it is - LOL).... You will definitely NOT have a mullet if you simply allow your hair to grow, because a mullet would mean continuing to shave the sides and to cut the hair in front, too (YUK!!!!)
As far as deciding to get occasional trims along the way or not, my advise is to not worry about that decision right now.... You are currently on a new journey --- like going on a road trip, let's say across a large continent, like North America. Let's pretend that New York City in the East Coast is your starting point (the bald shaved head look). If you want to make it to California some day, there's no point in worrying over how you're going to drive across the Rocky Mountains if you haven't even made it to the Appalachians yet! Just pack your mental car with your road-trip necessities, stay tuned-in to visiting here at MLHH frequently, and start driving in the direction of your ultimate goal... If you find you like Chicago, or Denver, or wherever, and decide to stay there awhile, no problem, --- it's YOUR road trip (AKA "your hair!"); so, just enjoy the journey along the way.... and, who knows, maybe we'll even meet at the western edge of the continent someday!
- Ken in San Francisco
.. excellent advice from the master wordsmith!
Bruce
Hi Bruce,
You are too kind, sir! I think that it's just a matter of me enjoying flapping my mouth in the breeze a lot (LOL) - kind of similar to letting the wind blow my hair around... I enjoy being both long-winded, as well as longhaired!
It's been awhile since I've had the extra time to visit the board here, as even lurking I'm behind in. I've missed it!
Off to work now.... But I much appreciate your comment, Bruce!
Long Lox 4ever,
Ken
Welcome Ryan,
I think the fear of the mullet look when growing your hair long is a myth. You have to work hard to acheive a mullet as Ken said. All the hairs on your head will grow at the same rate so what is lower will be closer to your shoulders sooner. If you feel you need to trim, wait 6 months to a year but I think you'll see that only a little need to be done.
Good luck,
Bruce
hey man welcome to the club good luck and happy growing :P almost in time for winter
"I've heard all the stories about trimming and shaping during growth, but my theory is that I started with nothing, so I can just STOP CUTTING, and wait for my hair to gloriously grow.
Is that thinking right?"
Yes. Do as you see fit as long as it does not bother yourself. And as for the criticism, you'll always hear it, so it's better to ignore than to pay attention and grow mad and frustrated, like I did (it ain't no joke, ask other members what they think of me).
Good luck!
Hi Ryan,
Welcome to the world famous board of longhairs:)I see some users already gave you some fine advise as there is not much more I can add other than to say growing ones hair long is not rocket science my friend.The problem a lot of guys run into during the early stages is the obsessiveness with feeling the need to do something to their hair.Usually they get caught up in thinking trimming it will speed the process or improve the finished product.So don't fall into that trap and you'll be in great shape.Do post a pic when you are starting to show some length.Good luck in your journey.
Mark
Hey thanks for all the advice, much appreciated!
I'm going on about two months of growth, so it's almost to my ears. When it starts getting longer, I may post some pictures.
Thanks again!
Thanks again for all the advice!
I did, however, leave out a few details I was thinking about while reading replies...
I have very thick hair...does that change anything?
Also, my hair grows straight forward. I'm picturing a cousin IT effect when it gets longer...or will gravity take over and prevent that?
Thanks again!
Thick hair just means it'll look even more awesome in the end.
The bangs do that for most people. You can either keep them as shorter bangs or push them to the sides and eventually they will stay to the sides
Cousin It was the coolest character on that show :-D
Your hair can be trained to go in a different direction - it just takes patience and persistance. It took my hair about 5 months to realize that I wanted it to go back instead of to the side.
AndrewB
I started from bald about 8 years ago. I'm never going back (not in the foreseeable future anyway). Just don't cut it.