Forget the "experts," long hair is youthful!

[CaityBear]

I definately see that. A lot of people look younger with long hair. Even on those makeover shows when they cut long hair really short. They always look older.

[jojo]

I totally agree with this, maybe its because we feel more comfortable with long hair, so we look happier. Like I was so miserable with short hair and it made my facial features sharper (think of a cross between Gonzo from the muppet show and Mrs doubtfire and you got it!) I may not look younger but man I feel like a woman!

[Roseate]

Originally Posted by adiapalic

I agree--I have mistaken someone for much younger when they are decades older! I also believe the long hair does it.

However, with one exception... I saw Edie Falco with passed shoulder length hair on an episode of "30 Rock" last night and thought, "wow, she looks so much younger with her short pixie cut in 'Nurse Jackie'!" Just an observation of one person's face.

Maybe really short, stylish pixies or really long hair have youthful effects faces?

This rule is true for me. I look matronly in many mid-length hairstyles, but shorter or longer styles both work for me. (I'm 33)

My mom has non-LHC "long" hair for a woman of 63 (around APL), and she is often taken for my sister, so it seems to work for her!

[ilovelonghair]

I think well cared for hair that is glossy and healthy makes people look younger because there are lots of people, mostly the older the person is the bigger the chance that they have dried out, dyed, blow-fried hair and that is aging for some reason.

[Themyst]

I'm 42 and few would guess. But, even I think I look older when I have my hair up in a bun.

[Toadstool]

I don't think it's a hard and fast rule, though perhaps a general one. I'm not just saying this because i have short hair at the moment but people always say how much younger I look when I have my hair cut short - maybe it's the gamine thing?
I like what Spidermom said.
I also do wish we lived in a society that didn't value looking young so much. If only we valued equally all the stages of our lives. Life is too short to worry about wrinkles on our necks and yet i do it with the best of them!

[Aer]

I agree also. There are lots of people I see with long hair, that I assume are younger than they are.

[Elenna]

I think that Spidermom has words of wisdom, that long silvering hair can be very pretty and that just adds to the person's overall look. That's what I think is going on. I

Of course, long lovely hair at any age helps too. It sure beats me that older women cut off the one thing that is sure to help them look better.

If you think someone looks younger than their age here, it is because everyone posts their best pictures.

[hmmm]

I always thought that longer hair made me look more womanly, while short hair made me look childish. Maybe this 'rule' is truer for older women.
When I cut my hair off, one of the reasons was that I was really irritated with people who valued long hair as beautiful, even if it was badly taken care of and not healthy at all. I think that anything about a person that's clearly taken care of well adds to their beauty/youthfulness if you want to call it that.
Generalizations really don't work... my mom for instance has very short hair, and doesn't dye it. My aunt has long hair that she doesn't dye either... Mom looks younger than my aunt because she's much healthier, but my aunt (even though her long hair hides the amount of grey she has) has a wrinkled face that makes her look much older. It's really not anything to do with hair, it's how you take care of your body that makes a difference.

[Lady Danger]

Originally Posted by Curlsgirl

I can't believe people actually have the nerve to say things about it!!!

Oh yes...I am consistently amazed by the thoughtless or rude things some people say!