In order to find out more about this fascinating topic of men growing and maintaining their fabulous hair, we reached out to Emily McKenna, a professional barber. The hair expert, awarded Scotland’s Male Stylist of the Year 2022, is an owner of the Serpent Kings Barbershop based in Cumbernauld, Scotland.

We were wondering if Emily has noticed any particular trends or changes in the demand for men's long haircuts over the years. We found out: “Personally, I would say the evolving trends for males' long hair are the modern mullet or the burst fade. Both of these hairstyles incorporate longer hair as well as still having a slight bit shorter on the sides. Men’s long hair has become a more common and popular trend which has seen a rise since Covid. Men have been able to grow their hair longer and realized that it’s not as difficult as it seems to style.”

The hairstylist shared with us what stereotypes she has encountered when it comes to men wanting to grow their hair long: “Men can feel a bit of judgment when it comes to longer hairstyles and it’s due to the common manly stereotype. Whenever a male wants longer hair they tend to ask the question ‘Will this make me look more feminine?’ However, if cut correctly, then you can emphasize face shape and create a more masculine look.”

Maintaining healthy long hair requires a specific routine and discipline for both women and men. We asked McKenna what tips she typically gives her clients to follow between the visits. Emily told us: “To maintain a longer hair style, I would always tell clients to use products that keep the hair healthy, such as shampoo that is created for the clients' hair type. I would also suggest using conditioning hair masks to keep the hair healthy and smooth.”

The expert shared with us her personal take on men with long hair: “The long hair trend is one I love. Being a barber, I cut a lot of shorter hairstyles, so when people come in with longer hair, it’s a more enjoyable experience than the usual short back and sides. Men’s longer hair is something I think should be more common and to break the stereotypes.”

Now, we were curious about what it feels like to be the proud owner of a majestic 'mane', so we reached out to Pranav Biji from London, United Kingdom. As a long hair enthusiast, Pranav provided answers to our questions, offering deeper insights into the masculine perspective on this topic.

Having completed 7 years of hair growth, Biji told us more about the process of growing his hair: “More than my inspiration, I would say it’s my mindset of breaking stereotypes that led to me starting to grow it out! Why should girls have all the fun?!”

We wanted to know what advice or tips Pranav could offer to help others achieve their best hair. He told us: “Well, I would say understand your hair like any other part of your body. Like how we have different needs, our hair has different needs too, so learn and understand your hair properly and then tend to its needs rather than blindly following a viral video. Once you do that, your hair will always look its best.”

The hair care advocate also mentioned how people typically react to his long hair: “Well, when I started out, it was more negative as people used to call me names which are inappropriate to be mentioned here. But as it grew, people just started loving it cause I had something they don’t and everyone started commenting on it! Positive 99/100 times these days.”

Lastly, we asked Pranav if there was anything he wishes he had known before he started growing his hair long. We learned that: “I should have had more knowledge during the awkward stages to maintain it better if I look back, but other than that, nothing, honestly.”