One in five men gets haircut anxiety, according to a new poll.
The survey of 2,000 U.S. men found 21% feel “nervous” asking their stylist or barber for a new hairstyle.
And another 23% have been afraid to ask for specific haircuts in the past, even when they really wanted it.
Seventeen percent have tried to get around it by asking their stylist for a more “watered down” version of what they really want.
A third (36%) said they’ve had success by showing their stylist a reference photo of what they want. A majority of them (88%) said their stylist nailed what they were trying to go for — getting the haircut perfectly matched to the reference photo.
Commissioned by Sport Clips Haircuts and conducted by Talker Research, half believe the key to a better cut is to learn more about their hair — and hairstyles in general — from their stylist.
According to them, stylists and barbers have helped them learn what styles fit their hair type (41%), what styles fit their face shape (40%), how often to come in for a haircut (37%), what different clipper lengths mean (31%) and even how to style and maintain their haircut at home (31%).
More than half (57%) have a specific person they’ll go to have their hair cut, and 74% believe having trust in their stylist or barber has a big impact on what haircut they end up getting.
In fact, a third (32%) of men with specific stylists said their bond is so tight, they consider their stylist to be “practically family.” An additional 16% consider them to be part of the close friend group, while 29% consider their stylist or barber to be a friend, but only during haircuts.
“I think men really can experiment and change things up with their hair,” said Stacia Kelley, artistic director at Sport Clips “It just takes a bit of trust and communication with your stylist. If you explain to them what you’re looking for and let them show you their expertise, you’ll likely walk away feeling refreshed and confident with a brand new ‘do.’”
The study found that the average guy gets their haircut 10 times per year and has had the same hairstyle for seven years.
Most (84%) said they feel confident with their current hairstyle, and 55% have never considered changing it as a result.
But that doesn’t mean they wouldn’t consider a new look. Men polled believe they can successfully pull off certain styles like letting their hair grow out (28%), going fully bald (22%), long hair with a middle part (13%), getting a hard side part (13%), and getting spiked hair (11%).
Meanwhile, 45% have considered changing their hairstyle — but not without hesitations.
“Hairstyles are one of the primary ways men showcase who they are; really letting their personalities shine through,” continued Kelley. “Many men who are already used to the style that makes them feel confident and comfortable might not want to change things. Even if they are considering trying a new style, they often don’t because they don’t want to change what they believe has been working for them for so long.”
Top 10 Hairstyles Men Believe They Could Pull Off
- Letting it grow out – 28%
- Fully shaved/bald – 22%
- Middle part, long hair – 13%
- Getting a hard side part – 13%
- Spiked hair – 11%
- Highlights – 11%
- Greased-back hair – 10%
- Mullet – 8%
- Mohawk – 8%
- A bleached buzzcut – 7%
Survey methodology:
Talker Research surveyed 2,000 American men; the survey was commissioned by Sport Clips and administered and conducted online by Talker Research between July 23 and July 28, 2025.
