DUDE!
That's exactly what happened to me!
I ignored them for 2 years. Then finally cut off the long dark brown manes and shaved all of my facial hair. I was just so tired of hearing the same 'did your barber die?'-joke over and over again...
I loathed myself for that (looked like I was some pussy I tells ya), but everyone seemed so happy I did it.
So everything starts growing again and a year later I end up 'again' having hair hanging well over my shoulders. Probably should thank my mother's genes for this: fast-growing hair, strong as hell. And again, they're bitching!
So now, I get a massive haircut every 2-3 years. I already have two long ponytails lying in a bag somewhere.
One day, I'm gonna fabric a rope out of it.
And it will be the strongest rope on the planet...