How To Grow Out Your Hair: A Men's Guide to Longer Locks

Growing your hair out sounds simple enough. All you need to do is stop cutting it and wait, right? Well, a healthy grow-out isn’t just about piling up inches. You have to keep your hair growing in good shape while navigating the awkward in-between stages that suddenly make a buzzcut very tempting.

Maybe you’re entering your rockstar era or you’re simply curious what happens when you stop asking for “the usual.” Whatever the reason, growing your hair out works a lot better with a plan than avoiding your barber for six months.

In this guide, you’ll learn how to grow out your hair and how washing and styling habits should change as your hair does.

Can Your Hair Handle the Length?

Before you start mentally casting yourself in a shampoo commercial, take stock of the hair you’re working with. For men growing long hair, thickness and density make a big difference in how longer hair sits and moves.

If your hair is fine or noticeably thinning, the extra length can sometimes work against you. Longer strands are heavier, which can flatten fine hair and reduce the appearance of volume. Thinning also becomes more noticeable as longer strands separate and expose more of the scalp. In those cases, a shorter haircut can create a fuller, sharper look.

Texture matters, too. Straight, wavy, curly, and coily hair all grow differently, so your eventual style — and the time it takes to get there — won’t be the same as your buddy’s. Think about your natural growth pattern and how much daily maintenance you’re willing to give it before committing to the long haul.

How To Build a Growth-Focused Trim Schedule

Growing your hair out doesn’t mean breaking up with your barber. Strategically timed trims preserve the shape of your cut while removing damaged ends. 

Follow these tips for growing out your hair to build a deliberate schedule rather than skipping haircuts altogether.

Tell Your Barber or Stylist the Goal

Before the scissors come out, tell your barber that you want to grow your hair out — and ideally, show them the style or approximate length you’re going for. The job description will go from haircuts to keeping the grow-out on course. Your barber can clean up areas that are becoming bulky or uneven without taking significant length off the areas you’re trying to grow.

Switch to a Stylist for Longer-Hair Expertise

As your hair moves beyond your regular short cut, consider seeing someone who regularly works with medium and longer men’s styles. Removing too much weight in the wrong place can change how hair falls on your scalp and forehead, while thoughtful layering can make an awkward length much easier to wear during the transitionary phases. 

Book a Trim Every Eight to 12 Weeks

This isn’t set in stone, but as a general guideline, book a light trim with your barber every eight to 12 weeks. Make adjustments in your schedule based on your hair’s condition and style. Instead of resetting the haircut each time as you usually would, work with your stylist to tidy the shape and remove damaged or split ends while keeping as much healthy length as possible. These micro-trims let you clean things up without surrendering months of progress.

5 Tips to Adjust Your Wash and Styling Routine

More length affects how your hair behaves. There’s more of it to dry out, tangle, collect product, or suffer through all the questionable styling decisions you make in the morning. As the inches add up, the routine that worked for your short hair might need a serious upgrade.

Here are five ways to protect the length you've already earned.

1. Wash Your Hair Less Often

If you shampoo every day , scale back as your hair gets longer, especially if the lengths and ends start feeling dry. Shampoo removes dirt, excess oil , and product buildup, but frequent washing can also leave your now-longer hair with less of the natural oils it needs to stay soft and manageable.

How often you wash also depends on your scalp, lifestyle, and hair type. Dry hair likely needs a little less shampoo and extra moisture, while if you look like a ball of grease at the end of every day, chances are a daily wash won’t hurt.

When wash day does roll around, use a Dr. Squatch shampoo made with naturally derived ingredients , concentrating it primarily around your scalp. Follow up with conditioner through the mid-lengths and ends, where older hair is more prone to dryness and tangling. This keeps your locks moisturized and easier to manage as the length builds.

2. Switch to Lighter Hair Styling Products

The trusty pomade or hair wax that gave your two-inch cut structure can become dead weight once your hair gets longer. Heavy products pull the longer strands down and create buildup near the scalp, when you actually need more product to cover more hair.

Try a lighter cream or other products that are easier on your hair and won’t turn it into a helmet. Start with a small amount (you can always add more) because using too much usually requires an unscheduled trip back to the shower.

3. Cut Back on Heat Exposure and Styling

When you’re growing your hair out, retaining the length you already have is just as important as producing new strands. Blow dryers and other heated tools like flat irons or curling irons can make styling faster, but repeated high-heat exposure can weaken the hair shaft and contribute to dryness and breakage. 

When you do use heat, keep the temperature cool or moderate and avoid barbecue-ing your hair. It’s also a good idea to add heat protectant spray before styling.

4. Switch To a Paddle Brush

Once your hair is long enough to tangle, use a paddle brush to detangle larger sections of hair while smoothing everything into place. Work the brush in small downward strokes starting from the ends instead of hauling it through a knot from the roots and hoping you come out on the other side. This isn’t one of Dr. Strange’s portals.

If you have curly or coily hair , it might respond better to detangling while damp with a wide-tooth comb or your fingers since dry brushing can disrupt the pattern of your natural curls.

5. Let Your Hair Air Dry

When time allows and you’re not late for a date, give your hair a break from the blow dryer. The less heat, the better. Gently blot excess water out of your hair instead of aggressively wrestling it with a towel, and let it finish drying naturally.

Less friction and heat mean less unnecessary damage to your hair. And when you’ve spent months growing those extra inches, sacrificing them to overly enthusiastic towel drying seems like a pretty lousy trade.

Grow Out Your Hair With the Right Products

Learning how to make your hair longer isn’t about blocking your barber on Instagram. It’s more about giving those extra inches a fighting chance. Keep your loyal hairdresser in the loop, and let your routine evolve while you find out what works for you.

That includes everything you use in the shower. When your old routine can’t keep up, Dr. Squatch’s Hair Care Kit is the next move. The kit’s shampoo and conditioner have naturally derived ingredients, giving you a straightforward two-step foundation as your hair gets longer.

Ready to go long with Dr. Squatch ? Check out the rest of our Natural Hair Care products , and keep that mane moving in the right direction.

FAQ

What Hairstyles Work While You're Growing Out Your Hair?

The best hairstyles for men while growing out hair keep unruly lengths controlled without fighting natural texture. Once you have enough length, loose ponytails, buns, or braids can work. Headbands are handy during those awkward halfway stages, too. Just don’t pull everything unnecessarily tight at the roots because that traction can affect your growth.

Can You Make Your Hair Grow Faster?

There’s no cheat code for dramatically faster hair growth. Supplements like biotin get plenty of media attention, but piling on more doesn’t guarantee a shortcut to Rapunzel status. Focus on supporting normal growth and protecting the length you already have instead. Eat a balanced diet, and stay hydrated.