In their own words, the Fierce Flow community is “a subreddit for men with long (er) hair to share tips, progress pictures, anecdotes, or anything else.” And as you can see from this list, the group’s 214K members share some amazing pics. I have to admit that I’m quite jealous of some of the fluffy curls and thick manes that I’ve seen while scrolling through the subreddit.

And if you’re interested in starting your own long hair journey, you’ve come to the right place! There are plenty of beauty and hair care experts out there who can guide you through the process of growing out a luscious head of hair. According to the American Academy of Dermatology Association, the hair on your head should be growing about 6 inches a year, and you’ll need about 12-14 inches of hair to have shoulder-length locks. So if you dedicate two years to growing, you’ll have a long mane in no time! 

But just because you need time to grow out your hair doesn’t mean you should simply not touch it at all for two years. Geoffrey C. Whittaker at Hims recommends getting your hair trimmed occasionally, to ensure that it stays healthy. This will also allow you to keep your hair shaped and styled nicely, so you don’t end up with a mullet during the growing process (unless that's what you're going for!). 

Another important factor to consider is how and when you wash your hair. You definitely don’t need to be doing this every day. In fact, if you have a dry scalp, you might even be able to go nearly a week between washes. This lets your hair soak up its natural oils and prevents you from losing too much hair down the drain. 

As far as what to put on your locks when showering, Whittaker suggests getting a shampoo that doesn’t have any harsh chemicals. And when you lather up, try to massage it into your scalp, rather than into your hair. Then apply a conditioner to the tips of your hair to keep them moisturized. This is the best way to get soft, healthy, luxurious hair!

At the same time, you want to treat your hair kindly while you’re growing it out. Bleach, hair dye and products that apply heat to your hair will only hinder the growing process. Try not to blow dry too often, and be aware that sea salt and chlorine aren’t great for your mane either. Before swimming, give your hair a rinse. Or better yet, wear a swim cap! Your amazing locks will thank you later.  

Unfortunately, not all men will be able to maintain a luscious mane forever. In fact, about 70% of men will lose their hair at some point. So if you start to notice signs of male pattern baldness, a fabulous head full of surfer waves may not be in your future. But you can try to treat the symptoms! Start taking dihydrotestosterone (or DHT), and be very gentle with your locks.    

As tempting as it may be to try out braids, buns, ponytails and more as you grow out your hair, this might not be productive. Tight hairstyles can put a huge strain on your scalp and hair, leading to unnecessary hair loss. You might even end up with traction alopecia, which is a nightmare if you’re trying to maintain a thick head of hair. And as amazing as it would look to dye your luscious locks, this can backfire if it means that your hair will be damaged and start breaking off or falling out.  

In general, it’s best to be extremely gentle with your hair when growing it out. Protect it from sun damage, let it air-dry whenever possible, and start taking supplements to promote its growth. Biotin gummies might seem like an unnecessary addition to your daily routine, but you’ll be glad you started taking them when the compliments on your amazing head of hair start pouring in. 

Are you feeling inspired to get out your blow dryer and start styling your hair like a supermodel, pandas? Regardless of your gender, you deserve to have an amazing mane if you want to! Keep upvoting the pics that you find particularly impressive, and let us know in the comments if you’ve ever let your locks grow out. Then, if you want to see even more photos from the Fierce Flow subreddit, check out this Bored Panda article!