Asian male hair is one of the most difficult types to style, since Asian hair is very thick and coarse. When it is cut short, Asian hair tends to stick straight up. Random spots on the head where hair is unruly, called "cowlicks," are also common with Asian hair. However, with a little patience, practice and the right male grooming products, Asian male hair can be tamed.
Grooming for Men: Asian Edition
Wear it short. This can be any length from nothing to half an inch. Most of the problems with Asian male hair go away when you cut most of it off. When the hair grows out, it is stiff. There is little you can do with it when it is this short, but at least it stays in place.
Let it spike. Many young Asian men like the spiky look. This is where Asian men have the advantage. While people with other types of hair need lots of men's hair products to get it to stand up, Asian hair does it by itself. Let your hair grow to a length between half an inch to an inch. Chances are you can roll out of bed, run your fingers across your head and be good to go with your spiky style. If you want your hair to stay rigidly in place, use some pomade, hair wax or gel and blow-dry it up.
Brush it down and back in a traditional Western hairstyle. This is where controlling Asian male hair is a challenge. You are asking your hair to do something it doesn't want to do. Asian hair doesn't just lie down. You must coax it. Asian hair can only be styled this way if it is at least 1 inch long on the top. Some men may need it to be even longer. Start with clean hair every time. It is important to remove any old product buildup on the follicles.
Towel-dry the hair and immediately add a styling product. It has to be something strong to hold Asian male hair. Hair pomade is a good choice since it controls yet still can be brushed through without flaking. Massage the product into the roots, especially where your hair tends to stick out.
Immediately style the hair the way you like it with a ball-tipped bristle brush. These brushes control hair like a comb without pulling the product out. Blow-dry the hair at high heat and full power. Aim the air in the direction you want the hair to lie. Continue to brush through the hair as you are blow-drying. This makes it look more natural and keeps it going in your chosen direction. When the hair shafts are dry, your style will lock into place.
Wear it long. Once Asian male hair is long enough to put in a pony tail, it gets much like everyone else's hair. In fact, it is much easier to manage than hair that is thin and brittle. Asian men can tie back long hair or wear it down without any problems. Since Asian hair is so thick and coarse, it stays in place without the need for a styling product.
Tip
Periodically brush through styled Asian male hair with a ball-tipped bristle brush. This keeps the hair in place and keeps it looking natural. If that doesn't work, try adding a little water to reactivate the styling product.
Use a small dab of conditioner after shampooing to help eliminate frizz.
Warning
Humidity is the enemy of Asian male hair. If it is a humid day or you are sweating a lot, styled hair can fall or spike out. Avoid these situations. If you can't coax the hair back into place with a brush and water, you may have to start over.
Writer Bio
Kent Ninomiya is a veteran journalist with over 23 years experience as a television news anchor, reporter and managing editor. He traveled to more than 100 countries on all seven continents, including Antarctica. Ninomiya holds a Bachelor of Arts in social sciences with emphasis in history, political science and mass communications from the University of California at Berkeley.