In today’s society, it is traditional for men to have short hair. While this has been the case for some time, many people question why this implementation seems to hold so strongly.
As with anyone, men can have all different types of hairstyles. However, the majority of these hairstyles involve keeping the hair short. So, why do men have short hair?
Why Do Men Have Short Hair?
1. Status In Ancient Times
Ancient Roman and Greek men are remembered for curly beards and long hair representing masculinity. Even in ancient times, however, hairstyles began to change. Sicilians and Romans kept their hair short.
It is said that Romans derived the idea from Sicilians to start cutting their hair shorter. Some men would grow their hair out, and it began looking consistently unkempt. Thus, short hair became a sign of status.
Royalty and more prominent members of Roman civilization began cutting their hair short to signify their position in Roman politics while also displaying to women that they were well-groomed and clean.
2. Rise In Versatile Hairstyles
Moving from ancient times to today, men’s hairstyles have grown exponentially. Fades, fauxhawks, and tapers are just a few of the many hairstyle options for short hair.
Knowing that they do not have to spend the time to grow their hair out for a stylistic touch on their head, men may be more inclined to choose one of the many popular hairstyles for short hair today.
Rather than even out the entirety of a head of hair or buzz it all off for lack of a better hairstyle, there are more options now.
Whether it stems from influence from popular celebrities or interest in new styles, short hair remains popular.
3. Less Sweating
Perhaps the simplest reason why men have short hair is that short hair is not as hot as long hair. Men are more likely to sweat more from the scalp with long hair.
Short hair prevents more heat from being retained and promotes a cooler head. If a man’s job or leisure activities include being active for an extended period, it is only a matter of time before they begin sweating.
Of course, short hair is not only a result of convenience. As mentioned, if a man chooses to keep his hair short, he has plenty of hairstyle options to choose from to find his perfect look.
4. Easier To Clean
Short hair takes much less time and effort to wash. Long hair requires more product and time in the shower. As is obvious, this can be a waste of money.
A man may choose to keep his hair short if he has experience with long hair in the past or simply wishes to stay away from the trouble of taking care of long hair.
Long hair can be a great option when well-kept, but it turns into a hassle if you do not have the time or put in the effort. As a result, short hair is a better choice for quick and efficient washing.
5. Experimenting With Different Styles
As mentioned, the variance in hairstyles for short hair makes having short hair all the more exciting. With so many options to choose from, men only have so many trips to the barbershop to find what works best for them.
If someone has had the same hairstyle for years, he might be looking to change it up now and again. It is just as easy to experiment with short hair as it is with long hair. In fact, it might be even easier.
In keeping one’s hair short, he can more quickly grow his hair for a few weeks and be ready to experiment with a different hairstyle in no time. This makes having short hair convenient and more interesting for men.
6. Familiarity With Tradition
Sometimes, a man might choose to keep his hair short simply because of the traditional style. Of course, there are plenty of men who grow their hair out to more extreme lengths than others, but short hair is popular.
Although someone may not realize the societal norm that men “should” have short hair, short hair for men remains prevalent and familiar to many people.
It can be a comfort to stick with the status quo and keep in line with how someone has always known their hairstyle to be. Growing one’s hair out or trying different styles may not be familiar to many men.
7. Personal Preference
Some men have short hair because they believe they look best with a clean cut. Perhaps they have grown their hair out in the past but decided that sticking with a shorter style suits them properly.
Personal preference is largely the deciding factor of whether a man grows his hair out or keeps it cut short. Considering the majority, it is likely that more men like shorter hair better when they look in the mirror.
Reasons a man might prefer short hair include if he has facial hair, jewelry, or piercings that he wishes to display as well. Cosmetics can influence a man’s decision to keep his hair short to pair well with additions.
8. Planning Ahead
Just because you see a man with short hair does not mean he always keeps it short. Some people who wish to grow their hair out continue to visit the barbershop regularly for a cut to ensure that their hair grows evenly.
Men can have short hair because they decide to get a haircut to restart the growing process and keep their hair even while growing it long again.
Regular trims while growing one’s hair out also ensures that the hair stays healthy. Longer hair is more prone to split ends, and cleaning up messy areas promotes a better growth process.
9. High-Quality Barbers Nearby
Another main reason a man may have short hair is that he has found an exceptional barber that he wishes to stick with. Good barbers give haircuts that leave the customer wanting to experience the process all over again.
A man may not have a preference between short hair or long hair, but if he finds a barber with the skills to keep his short haircut in pristine condition, he is more likely to revisit the barber time after time.
To learn more, you can also read our posts on why people pierce their tongue, why people pierce their nipples, and why you like being naked.
Conclusion
Short hair is common among men but for a wide variety of reasons. Whether it be due to one or more of the reasons above, short hair is more convenient and offers a nice selection of hairstyles to stick with.
Some men choose to stick with short hair because it is what they are familiar with, while others may have had long hair in the past but decided that short hair works better for them.