Black Men Hairstyles - African American Hairstyles Pictures

The hairstyles of black men are unique and stand apart from those who are not of African American descent. It is naturally curly and for the most part, has a soft texture. Black men's hairstyles can be worn long or short, depending on what the person wants.


Afro hairstyle. Photo by samirobles.
For many years, black men hairstyles were relegated to an Afro. Some people called it the "natural". Some men wore them as a "big" hairstyle. Others wore them shorter.

Some of the middle aged and older gentlemen would be seen with the big Afro. Some of the younger guys would rather wear the shorter one. They took pride in this hairstyle not only because it was easy to manage, but because it was originally part of their ethnic heritage.


Cornrows hairstyle
Black men's hairstyles also consist of braids. Some men wear their hair in plaits, which are regular braids that lie down and can be connected together. Or they can choose cornrows. Cornrows form a pattern and stay connected to the hair for a few weeks. After that, it’s time to take them apart and braid them again so that they will be fresh again.

There are black men that will wear individual braids down their back. They are not ashamed of it; normally, you would see more women wearing this. However, there are some who feel comfortable wearing this black men's hairstyle. Some men will put the braids in a ponytail to keep their hair out of the way.

In order for black men's hairstyles to stay fresh and presentable, they use hair products that cater to their hairstyle. They will use sheen, braid oil or other hair products that will work for their hairstyle and texture.

To keep their hair from frizzing, a scarf is placed on their head before they go to bed. For some black men's hairstyles, more maintenance is involved because of the texture of the hair. Every man's hair texture is different from someone else's.


Lil Wayne with dreadlocks hairstyle
Dreadlocks, or dreads for short, are another one of the black men's hairstyles. This style consists of matted portions of hair that are interlocked with each other. The hair grows naturally without the use of any hair products or accessories.

This hairstyle originated in the Africa among the Rastafarian religion. To them, dreadlocks represent their spiritual culture as well as their ethnic culture. African American men have been known to wear these, whether it's for religious or ethnic reasons.