Male Nurse Hair Styles

Nurses Men

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I'm new to the site and before opening this thread I browsed around to see if there were any topics open or even comments on male nurse hair styles. All of the current (to my knowledge) are just hair styles or tips for females which makes sense given the occupation. So if I missed a forum on this topic I apologize. But as the subject states I simply am curious as to what is expected from a male nurse in regards to his doo!

I am starting first year nursing and though my hairstyle may be acceptable through school and maybe not, I figured I'd ask from different sources. I currently have a faux hawk, which essentially is a mo-hawk with short hair on the sides. The center strip isn't any more than 2-3 inches in length so it's not outrageous but it is a little more exotic and wild than most. The reason I'm curious and I don't just cut my hair is, I feel my hair is in some ways apart of my personality. It may sound strange, but I've had this hair style since I was a little boy and I've grown into it.

So, what hair styles are suitable for male nurses?

Many thanks!

Specializes in CCRN, ED, Unit Manager.
I didn't expect so many answers, being so new lol. All of you come from great directions and make excellent points. I just felt that though my hair is styled differently than most that I can still represent myself as a professional with my personality and my hair simply just being apart of who I am.

But as many of you stated it really will depend on the rules established within the course and work force. I just took heat from my girlfriend and her mom telling me I won't be taken seriously with this style. So, that's what sparked the interest in this matter.

Cheers!

Forgot to mention, nobody gives a damn about who you are, haha. Not when they're looking for nurse's anyway. For real. Look at it this way: nobody is going to have a bad perception of you based off of a normal hair cut. There's potential for it with the hawk. Play the odds until after getting hired!

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I'm a female with a faux hawk, tattoos and peircings, I got through my placements with no complaints

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Specializes in Hospice, corrections, psychiatry, rehab, LTC.
I'm VERY open minded about this stuff, but if you come to me as a potential employee with a faux hawk (at least with the 2-3 inch length difference you describe) I'm probably looking past you. Tattoo's don't bother me, they're permanent, but IMHO faux hawk = wearing shorts to an interview. You can grow one after you've put time in if you want... but if two equally qualified new grad's show up for a job and one has one, one doesn't...

Just my 0.02.

Appearance definitely matters. I do a lot of employment interviews, and I have seen people show up for an RN interview dressed like they're going on a fishing trip. Scrubs and lab coats we expect, because some of our applicants come either before or after work to interview. Incredible sloppiness, go to the back of the line, please. Extremes in anything, be it hair styles, clothing or body ornamentation, tells me that the person is likely more interested in their own wants than anything we might want or need as an employer. To a point, it isn't an absolute exclusion, but if the margin is close, it could spell the difference.

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Specializes in CCRN, ED, Unit Manager.
Appearance definitely matters. I do a lot of employment interviews, and I have seen people show up for an RN interview dressed like they're going on a fishing trip. Scrubs and lab coats we expect, because some of our applicants come either before or after work to interview. Incredible sloppiness, go to the back of the line, please. Extremes in anything, be it hair styles, clothing or body ornamentation, tells me that the person is likely more interested in their own wants than anything we might want or need as an employer. To a point, it isn't an absolute exclusion, but if the margin is close, it could spell the difference.

Yeah, exactly. Why do anything that could go against you? Seems like all risk and no reward.

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Specializes in Med Surg, ER, OR.

It definitely depends on where you work/go to school/part of the country/etc. I went to a fairly strict nursing school with former "military-nun" grade instructors. If they didn't like you, you didn't make it, no matter how well you knew your stuff. For them, looks mattered. Now working in the ER, many years later, the staff truly don't care what you look like, as long as your are clean and smell clean. Other than that, no big deal. I keep my hair short all the time, but that is just me. Quick buzz cut and I do it myself. Maintenance free! While you are in school, do as they tell you to do, not how the other students tell you to do. Just my 2 cents.

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Specializes in PACU, presurgical testing.

I like your avatar picture--could you comb the long part back or part it and gel it to the side for interviews and clinicals? I agree with these posts that it is worth considering something a little shorter during school/clinicals and then do your thing later. Yes, people "shouldn't" care about appearances, but they just do.

Funny sidebar: my old OB/GYN used to have long, feathered hair just past his shoulders--he looked like Robert Plant. One day one of his sweet little old lady patients told him he should cut it off because he looked like a hippie. He did. On second thought, I don't know how sweet she was, but she sure seemed to have his number!

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My parents' highly-regarded cardiologist wears his hair long and not ponytailed (kind of like the feathered guy above) and with a short beard, jeans and a suit coat over a t-shirt. I'd say he's copying "House, M.D.", but he's been dressing this way since the '90s.

His demeanor is ultra-professional - kind of a slow talker, perfect diction; point being, his appearance is not nearly as important as his actions.

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The day before my TEAS Test my hair was down to my waist and I had a biker's beard. When I sat down for the test I was clean shaven and my hair was a military High and Tight and remains so.

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Specializes in Surgery.

Personally I like to see my crew well kempt. Off the ears and off the collar but that's just me. As long as you don't look like a heavy metal performer, I think you'll be fine.

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Personally I like to see my crew well kempt. Off the ears and off the collar but that's just me. As long as you don't look like a heavy metal performer, I think you'll be fine.
IMO, the less hair the better in the OR environs.
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Specializes in Travel M/S/T LTAC.
I currently have a faux hawk, which essentially is a mo-hawk with short hair on the sides. The center strip isn't any more than 2-3 inches in length so it's not outrageous but it is a little more exotic and wild than most.

So, what hair styles are suitable for male nurses?

Relax. Your hair looks fine. From one of the busiest and best units at a premier hospital within the Midwest (based on HCAHPS scores), and as a fellow gentleman nurse who wears similar hairstyles, I'd give your look a solid "thumbs up!"

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Specializes in Critical Care/Vascular Access.

yeah, it's 2014, faux hawks are commonplace. In school they might be a little more picky on how you wear it (like if you gel it up in spikes or something), but in the real world you probably will never have a problem, assuming you're a decent nurse. I've always had strange hair when I was younger before I was in nursing, from dreads to real mohawks, to different colors and just random impulsive cuts. I'm considerably more "tame" now, but I also like to keep a bit of my own personality in my hair. One thing I've noticed is that your professionalism and competency is far more important than anything else. You have a nurse that's clean cut and neat, but he can't answer any of your questions and doesn't seem to know what he's doing, well his haircut doesn't matter. Then you have a nurse with weird hair and a tattoo peaking from under his sleeve but he comes in and makes you feel like you're being taken care of by someone that knows what they're doing, then their haircut doesn't matter. In fact, I think many patients like having unique nurses, provided they make them feel confident in their care. They might look at you weird at first, but once you've talked to them and proven that you're going to take exceptional care of them, you may end up being their favorite.

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