Long Hair and Medium Length Styles for Men

Growing men’s hair out takes eight to eighteen months, and most of that time is spent in a stage nobody enjoys. That is the real reason to preview the destination: knowing whether shoulder length actually suits you is worth knowing before, not after, a year of waiting.

This page covers the whole distance — a grown-out middle part, curtains, flow that sits behind the ears, a man bun that needs enough length to tie, and shoulder-length hair with layers. If the answer turns out to be medium rather than long, you have saved yourself six months.

How fast does hair grow? · 0:54

Long Hair for Men — nine hairstyle examplesLong LayersTry itTop KnotTry it
Nine of the most-searched long hair for men looks.

Tap any look to open it — then try it on your own photo.

Long Hair for Men on the blog

Every one of these was rendered on a real photo. Open any of them to try the same style on your own selfie.

Long Hair for Men: Medium, curtains and shoulder length — the three stops on the way.
Medium, curtains and shoulder length — the three stops on the way.

The growing-out timeline

Hair grows roughly 1.25 cm a month. From a buzz cut, shoulder length is about 18 months and a workable man bun is 12 to 18. The awkward stage runs from months three to eight, when the sides flare out and the top is not yet heavy enough to fall.

The fix for that stage is counter-intuitive: keep trimming the sides while the top grows. Everything growing at once is what makes it look unplanned.

Months from a buzz cut
Stage Length Time What to do
Awkward stage 5-10 cm 3-8 months Trim sides, leave the top
Medium / flow 10-15 cm 8-12 months Tuck behind the ears
Curtains 15-20 cm 12-14 months Part it, sweep sideways
Man bun 20 cm + 12-18 months Tie it back
Shoulder length 25 cm + 18-24 months Layer it, trim ends
Long Hair for Men: A workable bun needs about 20 cm — roughly a year and a half of growing.
A workable bun needs about 20 cm — roughly a year and a half of growing.

Long hair still needs a cut

Length without shape reads as neglect, which is the difference between “grown out” and “long hair”. A trim every ten to twelve weeks to remove split ends and keep a slight taper at the back is the whole maintenance routine.

Long Hair for Men in 30 seconds

Top 3 Trending Long Hairstyles for Men in 2026 — more on our YouTube.

Middle part or curtains

A dead-centre part is the most demanding option — it frames the face symmetrically and exposes the hairline. Curtains sit a little off centre and sweep sideways, which is softer and much kinder to a receding temple.

Long Hair for Men: Length without a shape reads as neglect; a trim every three months is the difference.
Length without a shape reads as neglect; a trim every three months is the difference.

Related styles

Questions people ask

How long does it take to grow a man bun?

Hair grows about 1.25 cm a month, and a workable bun needs roughly 15-20 cm — so 12 to 18 months from a short cut, depending on where you start and how often you trim.

How do I get through the awkward growing stage?

Keep the sides trimmed while the top grows, and let the length arrive in one place rather than everywhere at once. The medium-length examples here are essentially the staging posts on the way.

Does long hair suit a receding hairline?

Length pulls the eye down and can emphasise the temples rather than hide them. A middle part is the harshest test; curtains and a slight sweep are kinder. This is worth rendering honestly on your own photo.

Try any of these on your own photo

Every example on this page was rendered with AI4Hair. Upload a selfie, pick the style, and see it on your own head shape and hairline in a few seconds — before a stylist touches anything.

Get it on Google Play  ·  Download on the App Store  ·  ai4hair.co

← All hairstyles by style