How Long It Actually Takes to Grow Out a Mullet
Growing a mullet from a shorter, all-one-length cut typically takes three to six months to reach a proper mullet silhouette, since hair grows at an average rate of about half an inch to one inch per month and the back needs a real, visible length difference from the front and sides to read as a mullet at all. The exact timeline depends on your starting length, your hair’s natural growth rate, and how dramatic you want the length contrast to be.
Here’s the realistic month-by-month process, how to get through the awkward in-between stage without it looking like an accident, and how to style it at every point along the way.
If you know how to grow a mullet and Want to see the finished styles you’re growing toward first? Check the Modern Mullet guide.
How Long Does It Take to Grow a Mullet?
| Timeframe | What's Happening | What To Do |
|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1-4 | Minimal visible change | Leave the back untouched, tidy sides only |
| Months 1-2 | Back gains length, sides look unbalanced | Light shaping on crown and sides |
| Months 2-4 | Length difference clearly visible | Maintain taper or fade on sides |
| Months 4-6 | Full mullet shape achieved | Barber shapes final layering and texture |
If you’re starting from hair that’s already got some length (a couple of inches all over, rather than a fresh buzz cut) you can usually cut that timeline down significantly, since you’re not waiting for length to exist in the first place, just for the back to outpace the front and sides.
The Growth Stages, Explained
Weeks 1-4: Early growth
Not much changes visually yet. This is the stage to be patient rather than impatient: keep the sides and front tidy with light trims if needed, but leave the back alone completely. Cutting it now just resets the clock.
Months 1-2: The awkward phase begins
The back starts gaining noticeable length while the sides and crown can start to look slightly unbalanced against it. This is normal, not a sign you’re doing it wrong. Light shaping around the crown and sides helps control bulk without touching the back’s progress.
Months 2-4: Shape starts to emerge
The length difference becomes clearly visible. The back shows real, noticeable length while the sides stay controlled with a taper or fade. The crown gains volume, which actually makes styling easier at this stage, not harder.
Months 4-6: The mullet takes full shape
At this point most men have enough length at the back to work with a barber on shaping the final silhouette i.e layering, texture, and a defined transition between the short front/sides and the long back.
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Getting Through the Awkward Stage
The biggest mistake during grow-out is treating it as pure waiting. A stylist interviewed by NYLON on exactly this process recommends a trim every six to eight weeks around the perimeter while the layers and face-framing pieces grow out underneath. That keeps the ends looking intentional even while the overall length is still building, instead of leaving everything to grow untouched and uneven.
If the in-between stage is bothering you, a shag cut is a genuinely useful bridge style. It has the same general layered, textured philosophy as a mullet but doesn’t require the same dramatic length gap, so it looks finished at almost any point during the transition rather than looking like a mullet that isn’t there yet.
Don’t be afraid to have your barber take length off unevenly-growing sections even while you’re technically “growing it out.” Growing a mullet is less about avoiding scissors entirely and more about controlling where they’re used sides and front stay shaped throughout, only the back is protected from cuts.
For a full product-by-product routine once the cut is fully grown in, see the Modern Mullet guide.
How to Style a Mullet While It Grows
Styling needs change as the length changes, but a few things hold true at every stage:
- Keep the sides and front textured, not flat. Even short hair benefits from a small amount of texture clay or matte paste worked through with fingers, which keeps the shorter sections from looking neglected next to the growing back.
- Use sea salt spray on the back once there’s length to work with. It adds texture and a lived-in look rather than letting longer hair lie flat and stringy.
- Blow-dry with direction, lifting at the crown for volume rather than letting hair fall wherever gravity takes it, this single habit is what makes a growing mullet look deliberate instead of accidental.
- Get the sides and front trimmed on a regular schedule even though the back is growing, a mullet mid-growth still needs the short sections maintained, or the whole silhouette starts to look like general neglect rather than a specific style in progress.
Tips to Support Healthy Growth
Hair grows at roughly the same rate for most people regardless of styling (averaging half an inch to one inch per month) but overall hair health affects how good that growth looks once it’s there. A balanced diet, adequate hydration, and avoiding excessive heat styling on the lengthening back all help the hair that’s growing in look healthier rather than damaged or prone to breakage, which matters more for a mullet than most cuts since the back is left largely untouched by scissors for months at a time.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to grow a mullet?
Most men need three to six months to grow a proper mullet silhouette from a shorter starting cut, since hair grows at roughly half an inch to one inch per month and the back needs a clearly visible length advantage over the front and sides.
How often should I get a trim while growing a mullet?
A trim every six to eight weeks around the perimeter — the longest sections — helps keep the cut looking intentional while the underlying length continues to build, rather than letting everything grow untouched.
What do I do during the awkward growing-out stage?
Keep the sides and front lightly shaped and trimmed on a normal schedule, leave the back completely alone, and consider a shag cut as a bridge style if the in-between stage bothers you visually.
Does hair type affect how long it takes to grow a mullet?
Curly and coily hair can take visually longer to show length due to shrinkage, even though the actual growth rate is similar to straight hair. Straight hair shows length gain more immediately.
Can I speed up how fast my mullet grows?
Hair growth rate is largely genetic and can’t be significantly accelerated, but a balanced diet, good hydration, and minimizing heat damage help ensure the hair that grows in looks its healthiest.
Should I start growing a mullet from a buzz cut or longer hair?
Starting from hair that already has some length cuts the timeline down significantly, since you’re only waiting for the back to outpace the front and sides rather than waiting for length to exist in the first place.
The Bottom Line
Growing a mullet is a three-to-six-month process, not an overnight cut and the difference between a mullet that looks intentional mid-growth and one that just looks like neglected hair comes down almost entirely to maintaining the sides and front on a regular schedule while the back does its own thing. Be patient with the back, disciplined with everything else, and the shape will take care of itself.
Further Reading
