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yellowchariot
October 23rd, 2009, 04:47 PM
Hey I haven't trimmed my neck hairs in since I had layers put in my hair back in February. I was wondering what are some of your all's opinions, suggestions and ideas of what I should do with them?

Shave them? Then they grow back weird looking. If so, how should neck hairs be shaved (is their a certain pattern)?

Wait for them to grow long enough to pull back with the rest of my hair?

Thanks To You All, I have learned a lot since I have joined! :D
Peace Out!

ericthegreat
October 23rd, 2009, 04:57 PM
Its really up to you man. :cool: Whatever you choose to do would look great!
I've seen lots guys rock the 'shaved underneath' look with a ponytail, its looks awesome on them.

But for me personally, I want all of my hair to be as long as possible. I have baby hairs all along my front hairline that are about 1 inch to about 3 inches long, I just let them slowly but surely grow out. The hairs on my neck are at their shortest about 4 inches long and at their longest 8 inches long..........they are just long enough for me to pull them all up into a ponytail so I don't have to shave them to clean them up! :magic:

ericthegreat
October 23rd, 2009, 05:02 PM
Ohh and you know that your baby hairs don't grow as long as the rest of your hair, so I wouldn't worry about the neck hairs at all. Everyone has them, in my opinion they make a head of hair look more natural and softer and blended in. I mean, having ALL OF your hair long at the same exact length would look like a wig on a mannequin!:bigtongue:

GlassEyes
October 23rd, 2009, 05:12 PM
I really just ignore mine. I trim the hair at the front of my hairline because it looks awkward when I wear it up--and it won't really grow any longer, but the back I can't be bothered with. :shrug: I don't think it looks that bad.

liseling
October 23rd, 2009, 05:13 PM
I just looked through your photos to try to see which neck hairs you are referring to. Do you mean the ones below your braid in this photo?

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/picture.php?albumid=3673&pictureid=53169

That's a great look by the way - I've always thought that guys should wear french braids more often.

Anyway, I think you should let them grow! They look pretty thick and like they could grow out as long as your other hairs (not just little wisps). Plus if it were me I'd just simply not want to have to maintain shaved neck hairs and the longer your other hair gets the longer it'll take to get shaved hair to grow to your other hairs' length if you get tired of shaving them.

I'm sure whatever you choose to do will look great though! :)

yellowchariot
October 23rd, 2009, 05:21 PM
I just looked through your photos to try to see which neck hairs you are referring to. Do you mean the ones below your braid in this photo?

That's a great look by the way - I've always thought that guys should wear french braids more often.

Anyway, I think you should let them grow! They look pretty thick and like they could grow out as long as your other hairs (not just little wisps). Plus if it were me I'd just simply not want to have to maintain shaved neck hairs and the longer your other hair gets the longer it'll take to get shaved hair to grow to your other hairs' length if you get tired of shaving them.

I'm sure whatever you choose to do will look great though! :)

Thank you very much for the complement liseling, and Yes those are the ones I'm referring to! :o hehe

heatherdazy
October 23rd, 2009, 05:34 PM
I was taught (by a barber) to always clear a man's neckline, regardless of hair length. I think it's really up to you, though. If you do decide to do it, I would probably go with the natural shape of your hairline rather than squaring it off.

Fractalsofhair
October 23rd, 2009, 05:38 PM
Depends on what you mean by neck hairs. I know guys who sorta have neck hairs that turn into beard hairs with no clear break(Very few, but there are some guys who are hairer than others). Some trimming may be a good idea if you shave your face to sorta blend them. However, if you mean the hairs at the back/sides of your neck, I think it looks more normal to have them, as they aren't that long. I am female, though, so I may not have the best opinion on this.

yellowchariot
October 23rd, 2009, 05:42 PM
I was taught (by a barber) to always clear a man's neckline, regardless of hair length. I think it's really up to you, though. If you do decide to do it, I would probably go with the natural shape of your hairline rather than squaring it off.

^ I've heard different things, including what you just pointed out. I just didn't know what to do really! :confused: I had a friend trim my hair one time, and she used an electric razor to shave my neck hairs, and she said "there is a certain way you have to do them, or they just won't look right!!!" So I let her. . . out of fear though hehe j/k :D

yellowchariot
October 23rd, 2009, 05:42 PM
Its really up to you man. :cool: Whatever you choose to do would look great!
I've seen lots guys rock the 'shaved underneath' look with a ponytail, its looks awesome on them.

But for me personally, I want all of my hair to be as long as possible. I have baby hairs all along my front hairline that are about 1 inch to about 3 inches long, I just let them slowly but surely grow out. The hairs on my neck are at their shortest about 4 inches long and at their longest 8 inches long..........they are just long enough for me to pull them all up into a ponytail so I don't have to shave them to clean them up! :magic:

^Ah Thanks eric for your input!

yellowchariot
October 23rd, 2009, 05:43 PM
Depends on what you mean by neck hairs. I know guys who sorta have neck hairs that turn into beard hairs with no clear break(Very few, but there are some guys who are hairer than others). Some trimming may be a good idea if you shave your face to sorta blend them. However, if you mean the hairs at the back/sides of your neck, I think it looks more normal to have them, as they aren't that long. I am female, though, so I may not have the best opinion on this.

Hey Fractalsofhair,
yeah I'm referring to when I pull my hair back, those long'ish neck hairs that aren't long enough to go into a braid or ponytail. :o

Themyst
October 23rd, 2009, 05:50 PM
I personally don't care for a neatly shaved neckline. It's just one more thing to keep up with anyway, right? But of course it is entirely up to you. :)

Fractalsofhair
October 23rd, 2009, 05:58 PM
Hey Fractalsofhair,
yeah I'm referring to when I pull my hair back, those long'ish neck hairs that aren't long enough to go into a braid or ponytail. :o
Hmm. I think everyone has those. If they're less than 3 or so inches, I think it looks more natural and fine to have them. I know some girls in my school shave them off, but they're the sort that think I have a beard because I have mini lady's sideburns XD. So, I don't think it's the most common practice. I do find them useful for making a braid look softer.

The Drood
October 23rd, 2009, 05:59 PM
Was thinking about this same question not 5 minutes ago... Personally, I'm hoping they grow about another inch so they neatly fit into a braid or ponytail. If they don't reach that length, I suppose I'll just deal with them.

They give character to braids / buns and such (that's my opinion), and that's the way I like it, atm.

Hydrilus
October 23rd, 2009, 06:07 PM
I've been wondering about those neck hairs at the back of your neck as well. I believe the term for them is "napes?" :confused:

They aren't an issue for me right now because my hair isn't quite at pony tail length yet, but when it is I'm pretty sure those hairs at the back will be long enough. I can feel they are nearly long enough when I gather my hair up back there as if I were going to put it in a pony tail.

My grandpa used to tell me how his dad would grab him by those hairs (or even his side burns!) to almost literally drag him up to his room after getting in trouble haha, man...try pulling those hairs on yourself. Quite a sensitive area :eek:

Charlotte
October 23rd, 2009, 06:36 PM
Hi Yellowcharriot,

I definately like the back of mens' necks to be 'au naturale' - (soft is better than spikey) unless, of course, they resemble a wolf man (which you do not) in which case, a tidy up might look better. :D

spidermom
October 23rd, 2009, 06:40 PM
Not that an opinion from an old woman is going to count for much, but grow them.

aada
October 23rd, 2009, 07:06 PM
An opinion from a younger woman, which probably still won't count for much: grow them! ;)

(sorry spidermom, perfect lead-in for my post! haha)

Xandergrammy
October 23rd, 2009, 07:07 PM
Not that an opinion from an old woman is going to count for much, but grow them.


Exactly what she said. :gabigrin:

pradabacon
October 23rd, 2009, 07:12 PM
Opinion from a slightly older than you woman...grow them. :p

And even if they don't get long enough to put up, they'll still look fine.

Shiva
October 23rd, 2009, 07:18 PM
Another vote here for just letting them be and growing them out.

:agree:

ravenreed
October 23rd, 2009, 07:23 PM
Can a not so young but not quite old enough to consider herself 'older' woman chime in?

I think it depends on the look you are going for. I don't like the shaved look, personally, because unless you keep it up, it can look weird. And sometimes there is a 5 o'clock shadow look going on that I don't like. I especially don't like it on women, but that is another issue.

The STRANGEST thing I ever saw was some poor hairy bugger who had his neck shaved but his back hair was poking up out of his shirt... I am not against hairy guys, so don't get me wrong... it just looked really odd and slightly disturbing.

Elphie
October 23rd, 2009, 08:44 PM
I'm Peter Pan. I'm not growing UP or OLD. So there...

Grow 'em.

bigmama8
October 23rd, 2009, 08:54 PM
Not that an opinion from an old woman is going to count for much, but grow them.

What she said!
My DH is growing out his hair and he doesn't have me shave his neck since he started. It looks fine.

RocketDog
October 23rd, 2009, 09:30 PM
I think a too-clean neckline looks funny when the rest of the hair is longer, but to each their own. My baby hairs are kinky and always stick out, no matter what I do, but I think it would look odd to trim them so I just oil them and try to slick 'em in with whatever 'do I'm sporting.

pepperminttea
October 23rd, 2009, 09:41 PM
Seeing as it's not wispy baby hairs, I'd keep them. It shouldn't take too long to grow them long enough to hide in low pony/plait-type styles. It's all up to you though. :)

JaneinMarch
October 23rd, 2009, 10:24 PM
Mine look a little weird when my hair is up, but they're rather wispy. Yours look thick and even, like they belong that way.
I say grow out the nape. :)

Honestwitness
October 23rd, 2009, 10:51 PM
I had a similar situation as you, yellowchariot, when I first found this forum. In fact, the question of what to do with my nape hairs is what led me to LHC in the first place. The advice I got back then (March 2009) was to let them grow, which I did. I am sooooooo glad I took that advice!!! My nape hairs will probably never be thick, lush, and long. They're very scraggly and thin. But, now that they're longer, I like them so much better than when they were too short for ponytails.

yellowchariot
October 23rd, 2009, 11:24 PM
Not that an opinion from an old woman is going to count for much, but grow them.


An opinion from a younger woman, which probably still won't count for much: grow them! ;)

(sorry spidermom, perfect lead-in for my post! haha)


Exactly what she said. :gabigrin:


Opinion from a slightly older than you woman...grow them. :p

And even if they don't get long enough to put up, they'll still look fine.


Another vote here for just letting them be and growing them out.

:agree:


Can a not so young but not quite old enough to consider herself 'older' woman chime in?

I think it depends on the look you are going for. I don't like the shaved look, personally, because unless you keep it up, it can look weird. And sometimes there is a 5 o'clock shadow look going on that I don't like. I especially don't like it on women, but that is another issue.

The STRANGEST thing I ever saw was some poor hairy bugger who had his neck shaved but his back hair was poking up out of his shirt... I am not against hairy guys, so don't get me wrong... it just looked really odd and slightly disturbing.


I'm Peter Pan. I'm not growing UP or OLD. So there...

Grow 'em.


What she said!
My DH is growing out his hair and he doesn't have me shave his neck since he started. It looks fine.

^ OK All of you OLD Farts! I really appreciate your input :tongue:! I also want to thank the YOUNG FARTS too :D!

In all seriousness, I might just go ahead and let them grow. Because the shaved squared look does look "unusual" with my normal everyday ponytail. However, as of right now, I can fit the "nape" hairs into a braid or ponytail, it's just the ones that are out on the sides that look awkward at the kinda longish length that they are now. I might be able to get them all by doing a very very low ponytail, but I don't they look "right" on me lol :o

natorade
October 23rd, 2009, 11:25 PM
Let them grow. I think they look fine.

yellowchariot
October 23rd, 2009, 11:48 PM
I really just ignore mine. I trim the hair at the front of my hairline because it looks awkward when I wear it up--and it won't really grow any longer, but the back I can't be bothered with. :shrug: I don't think it looks that bad.

Thanks GlassEyes! Although I never have anything trimmed up top, I guess I haven't thought about it.


I personally don't care for a neatly shaved neckline. It's just one more thing to keep up with anyway, right? But of course it is entirely up to you. :)

^ That's true Themyst, if I can keep up with less, I'm better off haha!


Was thinking about this same question not 5 minutes ago... Personally, I'm hoping they grow about another inch so they neatly fit into a braid or ponytail. If they don't reach that length, I suppose I'll just deal with them.



They give character to braids / buns and such (that's my opinion), and that's the way I like it, atm.

^Ah great minds think alike The Drood! :D I think that 2 or 3 more inches might give me some headroom, though I really don't know.


I've been wondering about those neck hairs at the back of your neck as well.

^ Hey Hydrilus, I appreciate your thoughts!


Hi Yellowcharriot,

I definately like the back of mens' necks to be 'au naturale' - (soft is better than spikey) unless, of course, they resemble a wolf man (which you do not) in which case, a tidy up might look better. :D

^ Charlotte, you really don't wanna see my back hairs! LOL :knuckle::D I used to take care of those during the summer, but now I've "put on my winter coat" hehe


I think a too-clean neckline looks funny when the rest of the hair is longer, but to each their own. My baby hairs are kinky and always stick out, no matter what I do, but I think it would look odd to trim them so I just oil them and try to slick 'em in with whatever 'do I'm sporting.

^RocketDog, I was sort of thinking along those lines as well.


Seeing as it's not wispy baby hairs, I'd keep them. It shouldn't take too long to grow them long enough to hide in low pony/plait-type styles. It's all up to you though. :)

^Thanks pepperminttea, I may just see how long look 3 inches from now :confused:


Mine look a little weird when my hair is up, but they're rather wispy. Yours look thick and even, like they belong that way.
I say grow out the nape. :)

Also Thanks to you JaneinMarch for your input.


I had a similar situation as you, yellowchariot, when I first found this forum. In fact, the question of what to do with my nape hairs is what led me to LHC in the first place. The advice I got back then (March 2009) was to let them grow, which I did. I am sooooooo glad I took that advice!!! My nape hairs will probably never be thick, lush, and long. They're very scraggly and thin. But, now that they're longer, I like them so much better than when they were too short for ponytails.

Honestwitness, I'm glad you shared that story! I'll keep that in mind! I appreciate it!


Let them grow. I think they look fine.

natorade, thanks, and you keep growing too! :thumbsup:

JCFantasy23
October 24th, 2009, 01:21 AM
I THINK I know what you mean by neck hairs. I have some that a lot of times I accidentally don't gather into my updo because they're shorter, and then I only realize only someone tells me.

I'd say leave them unless they look too freakish. Too tidy can just look wrong like some have said.

yellowchariot
October 24th, 2009, 11:20 AM
I THINK I know what you mean by neck hairs. I have some that a lot of times I accidentally don't gather into my updo because they're shorter, and then I only realize only someone tells me.

I'd say leave them unless they look too freakish. Too tidy can just look wrong like some have said.

Thanks for the input JCFantasy23!

I don't want to appear too tidy, because I'm not a tidy person at all! So I don't want that to ruin my image! :D

Naters
October 24th, 2009, 11:24 AM
I think you should grow them out. I think it will look more natural that way. The whole shaving thing can get annoying after a while.

piratejenny23
October 24th, 2009, 01:23 PM
i've had those hairs clipped or even shaved off because mine are really scraggly and sometimes it seems like every strand has a split end.

but then they'd start growing, and when i put my hair up it looked like i had bangs on the back of my neck!

a few times i've even had my hair cut to chin-length because i just couldn't stand having that unhealthy layer of hair.

where are these french braid photos? i can't see what you're talking about, but if you have two "hanks" of hair sticking out when you put your hair up, having someone cut that underlayer into a U- or V-shape might help it blend in. that's what i had done to my "neck-bangs" when they got a few inches long. it took a little longer to be able to pull it all into a ponytail but it looked natural (as long as it's not too blunt).

after years of complaining to hairdressers about this patch of "weak" hair, my current one told me that some of the breakage could be due to ponytails or from sleeping with my hair in a bun (pillowcase friction). i told her that i'm very gentle with my hair and always use scrunchies, but she said it could still be pulling & damaging. so now i think of it as my sacrifice layer, because if i kept it short then the next layer would get damaged. for sleeping, i'm trying to get in the habit of either leaving my hair down or oiling the underlayer & wearing a scarf.

JamieLeigh
October 24th, 2009, 02:08 PM
I have short hairs all around my hairline, from front to back and they refuse to grow any longer. They curl like crazy too, I mean spiral, boing-boing curls! :p I just ignore them, shaving them off might be an option for you though, since you're a guy it wouldn't look super-weird. I would have no idea how to go about it though, lol.

Peter
October 24th, 2009, 02:16 PM
From now on I hope I can stop acting on impulse and just leave my neck hairs alone. I've shaved them a couple of times and didn't find it all that great. I messed them up pretty badly around a month ago and it looks really silly growing them out. Especially since my hand slipped and I lost several long hairs at the back as well. Stupid, I know. I'm doing all my braids and ponytails a bit loose to cover it up, which also looks bad. :o

So from now I'm leaving mine alone even if I think they don't look good, because the alternative is even worse! :p

enfys
October 24th, 2009, 04:31 PM
I never thought guys with long hair would consider shaving their neck hair. With short hair it can blend in with a taper but with long hair it's be a stubbly wouldn't it? I'd be too worried about accidently catching long hairs or going wonky. I don't even know the logistics of how you'd do it.

If you change your mind after ponytail-able length you can always shave them then.

Men with long hair have enough to worry about getting the hair/sideburns balance right, you don't need more to worr about.

yellowchariot
October 24th, 2009, 06:03 PM
From now on I hope I can stop acting on impulse and just leave my neck hairs alone. I've shaved them a couple of times and didn't find it all that great. I messed them up pretty badly around a month ago and it looks really silly growing them out. Especially since my hand slipped and I lost several long hairs at the back as well. Stupid, I know. I'm doing all my braids and ponytails a bit loose to cover it up, which also looks bad. :o

So from now I'm leaving mine alone even if I think they don't look good, because the alternative is even worse! :p

The last couple of years, I've gone back and forth from letting them just get barely long and then getting them shaved. Different females where telling me how they "should be" for a "guy's hair" :confused:

aada
October 25th, 2009, 06:25 PM
Different females where telling me how they "should be" for a "guy's hair" :confused:

well, it's a good thing you found the forum then. of course, now you know that the LHC women are the only women who's opinions count! ;)

yellowchariot
October 25th, 2009, 11:05 PM
well, it's a good thing you found the forum then. of course, now you know that the LHC women are the only women who's opinions count! ;)

LOL I learned that a long time ago, in life :D

mizk5110
October 25th, 2009, 11:59 PM
I've seen it both ways. It honestly depends on the person. Sometimes it looks good, sometimes it doesn't. And even the person it looks good on will have days that it doesn't look good! I'm too new to be able to see photos, but it probably looks fine since you obviously don't *hate* it and are asking for opinions. :)

vdhendrix
October 26th, 2009, 05:17 PM
let them grow out, i like the way shorter neck hairs look on guys, kind of "messy" but i a good way

Yayasmurf
October 26th, 2009, 05:37 PM
Well even if I am older than dirt and far*ing dust... I will add my two scents.

"Let em' grow" :poot:

At least you are not having the problem my hubby and I discussed today... his eyebrows are getting wild and curling.. he said, "Honey what am I supposed to do with these crazy things... I told him the same thing I just told you... Let em' grow... but added... I'll make ya a hair stick to put in them :D

pradabacon
October 26th, 2009, 06:21 PM
^^^http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll23/hootietoot/lol.gif

Willheit
October 26th, 2009, 06:26 PM
chiming in to say "grow them" as well.

yellowchariot
October 26th, 2009, 09:30 PM
I've seen it both ways. It honestly depends on the person. Sometimes it looks good, sometimes it doesn't. And even the person it looks good on will have days that it doesn't look good! I'm too new to be able to see photos, but it probably looks fine since you obviously don't *hate* it and are asking for opinions. :)

Thanks for you input anyways! I really can't "hate" something that I'm not sure about lol! So I guess I just have to see what happens.


let them grow out, i like the way shorter neck hairs look on guys, kind of "messy" but i a good way

^I appreciate your vote vdhendrix, I'm kinda leaning toward the "grow it out" idea.


Well even if I am older than dirt and far*ing dust... I will add my two scents.

"Let em' grow" :poot:

At least you are not having the problem my hubby and I discussed today... his eyebrows are getting wild and curling.. he said, "Honey what am I supposed to do with these crazy things... I told him the same thing I just told you... Let em' grow... but added... I'll make ya a hair stick to put in them :D

^That's a big LOL there, Yayasmurf! I'm glad I don't have eyebrow issues. . . if I did you all would tell me. . . right? . . . right? I mean one of you would say something. . . :confused: haha J/K!


^^^http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll23/hootietoot/lol.gif

^Hey nobody asked you! Hootie Tootie! :poot: :p :run::magic:


chiming in to say "grow them" as well.

^I appreciate the the vote Willheit! :)

mizk5110
October 27th, 2009, 12:35 AM
Thanks for you input anyways! I really can't "hate" something that I'm not sure about lol! So I guess I just have to see what happens.


what I meant was you didn't look at it and go "omg I hate it, I'm shaving it off!" without consulting your fellow LHC-ers...so there must be some part of you that actually does like it. :roll:

If that makes sense...I really need to stop lurking here so late at night :p (it's 2:30am my time)

templeofvenus
October 27th, 2009, 09:56 AM
I would leave them natural not shaved off, if you have long hair then I personally think the neck hair looks good!!!:)

pradabacon
October 27th, 2009, 09:51 PM
^Hey nobody asked you! Hootie Tootie! :poot: :p :run::magic:


That's it, Turkey. Meet me behind Mr. Smith's old barn after school. :slap:

yellowchariot
October 28th, 2009, 12:13 AM
That's it, Turkey. Meet me behind Mr. Smith's old barn after school. :slap:

WHY?!!? what's gonna happen behind Mr. Smith's old barn?!?! :confused:

Hey wanna shave my neck hairs? lol :laugh:

pradabacon
October 28th, 2009, 07:46 AM
Sure, why not? :D Do you trust me near your neck with sharp objects?

ericthegreat
October 28th, 2009, 11:57 AM
Sure, why not? :D Do you trust me near your neck with sharp objects?

BWHAAHAHAAHA! :rollin::rollin:

Yellowchariot bro, I think you have an even more deadly predator here on this board to worry about than that bear who was just hungry and looking for some food.

PurpleAshes
October 28th, 2009, 01:08 PM
I love love LOVE neck hair.
But, of course, it's up to you ;)