Hair has been a subject of special interest in ancient myths, Holy Scriptures, cosmetology, and iconic personality traits. Samson was granted supernatural power, and its secret was in his long hair. Rapunzel is a German fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm published in 1812 in Children’s and Household Tales. Its popular line is, ‘Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your golden hair.’ In the mock heroic poem Rape of the Lock by the great, English poet Alexander Pope, Peter cut a lock of Arabella’s hair which caused a conflict between two families. Scientists link long hair with the evolutionary theory of natural selection and consider long hair as indicative of fertility and good health. Different religions have different regulations for hair. Buddhist monks are required to have clean-shaven heads while Sikhs are required to keep theirs untrimmed. Hair length is measured from the scalp to the tip. And according to the Guinness Book of World Records, the hair of the Chinese female Xie Qiuping was the longest documented hair measuring 5.627m or 18 feet and 5.54 inches. In cosmetology, the hair lengths are described as: chin level, shoulder length, mid-back level, waist length, hip length, classic length, thigh length, knee length, and floor-length hair.

1. Michael Jackson

Michael Joseph Jackson, better known as Michael Jackson, was born in Gary, Indiana, U.S. on August 29, 1958 and died in Los Angeles, California, U.S. on June 25, 2009 at the age of 50 years. Known as the King of Pop, he is recognized by the Guinness World Records as the all-time, most successful entertainer. He won numerous awards for his dance, music, and video performances. He was born black but had to undergo facial plastic surgery bleached his skin on account of having vitiligo. He had his hair straightened and wore it shoulder length. His style was to keep his hair parted and to let a lock conceal an eye partially. Some of his hair was collected from the New York’s Carlyle Hotel where he stayed for some time, and these hairs  were auctioned for $11,000 after his death.

2. Mahendra Singh Dhoni

Mahendra Singh Dhoni was born in Ranchi, Bihar, India on July 7, 1981. He is a famous Indian cricketer best known for his aggressive batting and cool-headed captaincy. He is a captain in all three forms of the game: Test Cricket, ODI, and T20. India won the 2011 World Cup under his captaincy. He keeps his long hair, and once while he was clean- shaven commented, ‘I’m growing my hair again. People said that I shaved my hair because of some ‘mannat.’ But actually, I wanted a lean look with the summer approaching so I decided to go bald.’ Former President of Pakistan, during his visit to India in 2006, appreciated him saying that he looked good in long hair. According to Forbes he is one of the world’s highest-paid athletes.

3. Orlando Bloom

Orlando Bloom was born in Canterbury, Kent, England on January 13, 1977. He debuted with the film Wilde in 1997 and later came into the limelight with his performance in the famous triology, Lord of the Rings. He is known for his experimentation with films and his hair. His curly, wavy, layered, mullet and messy style as well as faux hawk and Mohawk hairstyles have especially caused his adoration by his fans. He was named a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador on October 12, 2009.

4. Brad Pitt

William Bradley “Brad” Pitt, better known as Brad Pitt, was born to Jane Etta and William Elvin Pitt in Shawnee, Oklahoma, U.S. on December 18, 1963. He attended Kikapoo High School, University of Missouri. Brad Pitt is a renowned film actor. He received four Academy Award nominations and five Golden Globe Award nominations. With his long hair, he is considered one of the most attractive men in the world. People’s Magazine named him the Sexiest Man Alive in 1995, and for the second time in the year 2000. He was recognized for the first time for his performance as a hitchhiker cowboy in the movie Thelma and Louise, Troy, and Mr. & Mrs. Smith are his most successful films.

5.  Bret Michaels

Bret Michael Sychak was born to Wally and Marjorie Sychak in Butler, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on February 15, 1963. He is an American musician, actor, director, and reality television personality. He became famous as a lead vocalist of the musical band Poison which sold 30 million records all over the world. The band is included in the Top 40 of Billboard’s Hot 100. Every Rose Has Its Thorn  was ranked the number one single. His solo album Custom Built achieved a top position in Billboard’s Hot 100. He is noted for his long hair which give him an attractive appearance.

6. William Bruce Rose

William Bruce Rose was born to Sharon E. Lintner and William Bruce Rose in Lafayette, Indiana on February 6, 1962. He is an American singer, songwriter, and musician. He is the lead vocalist and the only original member of the hard rock band Guns N’ Roses which was one of the most famous bands in late 80s and early 1990s. Rolling Stone and NME named him as one of the greatest singers of all time. He has been using the name Axl since 1986. He has been wearing long hair since his teens. He parted the hair on one or the other side and sometimes parts it in the middle. Sometimes he wears cornrows with long braids and is seen with or without a moustache and clean-shaven face.

7. Glen Johnson

Glen Johnson was born in Greenwich, London, England on August 23, 1984. He is an English footballer and plays in the fullback position. After a victory over Andorra, he was named Man of the Match. In the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign, he secured his position firmly on the team. Since his teens, he worn long hair. Cornrows are his favorite hairstyle. This style is named after its resemblance to cornrows in a cultivated cornfield. In this style, strands are braided from very near the scalp and continue progressively outwards to the tip. A prolonged use of this style is said to cause thinning of the hair.

8. Sebastian Bach

Sebastian Bach was born in Freeport, Bahamas on April 4, 1968 and was raised in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada, He attended Lakefield College School. Michael Kulas of the British Rock Group was his classmate. He was first known as the frontman of the Skid Row Band. After leaving it, he performed on television and led a successful solo career. He performed with Guns N’ Roses and Metallica on the same stage at a part arranged by RIP Magazine. He sang the Canadian National Anthem at the Major League Baseball All-Star Game in San Diego, California. His long hair is an essential trait of his personality and is liked by all his fans.

9. Carlos Valderrama

Carlos Alberto Valderrama Palacio, better known as Carlos Valderrama, was born in Santa Marta, Colombia on September 2, 1961. He is a former Colombian football player. On account of his attractive, blond, curly Afro hair, he is the most identified footballer in Colombia. He is the only Colombian footballer who was included in the list of FIFA’s Top 125 Living Footballers. He was captain of the Colombian football team in three World Cup matches. He is considered one of the most fashionable footballers and stands out prominently among all the other footballers, particularly on account of his atypical hair.

10. Lee Min Ho

Lee Min Ho was born in Seoul, South Korea on June 22, 1987. Since his early years, he dreamed of becoming a footballer, but on account of an injury during his school years, he could not play football. Cristiano Ronaldo is his favorite player.  He studied at Konkuk University majoring in film and art. He became famous after his lead role performance in Boys Over Flowers. He is best known for his drama City Hunter. Min Ho is very popular in China, Korea, and Japan. His fans are great admirers of his long hair style which adds  to the attractive personality of the handsome guy.

Conclusion:

People from many fields are known for liking long hair and they include: philosophers, scientists, master painters, singers, and sports persons, particularly the footballers from Italy, Spain, and Greece. Long hair is a matter of personal preference, but it does not suit everyone in all situations. It is appropriate, for example, when one wears a T-shirt and jeans, but not when dressed formally. Although exceptions like the freestyle wrestling managers are always there. It is not only the length of hair that matters, but there are other attributes to be taken into consideration like; thickness, shine, smoothness, color, style, flexibility, design, rate of growth, and last but not least, the cleanliness. Cleanliness, when it comes to long hair, is more than a word.