wivestales about hair

[DollyDagger]

My dad used to always used to ask my mom (half jokingly) what phase the moon was in before he went to the barber.
He strived to go on a waning moon because he said that his hair would grow slower this way and he wouldnt have to go back for a cut so soon.

(conversely ill trim on a fullmoon or waxing moon:P for the opposite effect)

then theres the ubiquitous if you pluck out a gray hair....2 will grow back to takes its place..


are there any other kind of crazy wivetales related to hair that youve heard?

T.I.A
DD:blossom:

[Swan Maiden]

This isn't about human hair, but a wives tale about hair nevertheless. In the mountains where I spent some time, the people swore that leaving a horse hair (mane or tail) in a creek or stream would turn it into a worm.

Obviously this is an uneducated spontaneous generation theory that these people had/have to explain the presence of the Nematomorpha that live in such areas.

[meteor]

The one that strikes me the most is probably: "The shorter you cut it, the faster it will grow." :confused:

[DollyDagger]

The one that strikes me the most is probably: "The shorter you cut it, the faster it will grow." :confused:

Swan Maiden -ha ya...thats even the another name for them eh. I had to look that up..never heard of it.

meteor- yes...along with the more frequently you cut...the faster it will grow.

[MsBubbles]

How about "If you eat your crusts (the tough outer pieces on a sandwich), it'll make your hair curl", as uttered by my Mother, who I'm sure would have done ANYTHING for me to have had any wave at all in my hair.

She shouldn't have married a guy with straight, fine hair! :laugh:

[sarahthegemini]

The one that strikes me the most is probably: "The shorter you cut it, the faster it will grow." :confused:

I recently had to explain to my partner that this isn't even remotely true :p

[nalgena]

I also heard that cutting hair short makes them grow faster.

And that women shouldn't dye their hair when they're on period.

[parkmikii]

I second the not dying hair while having a period one. I also knew about a saying that if you shave your hair it would grow back thicker.

[SnowbirdRose]

Going outside with wet hair causes pneumonia.

[butterflybutton]

Shaving hair will make it grow back thicker :p

[DollyDagger]

How about "If you eat your crusts (the tough outer pieces on a sandwich), it'll make your hair curl", as uttered by my Mother, who I'm sure would have done ANYTHING for me to have had any wave at all in my hair.

She shouldn't have married a guy with straight, fine hair! :laugh:
maybe this ones true..lol..My dads straight haired and so is my mom.. and i have curly hair..and ive always eaten bread crust..holy smokes! :) hehe

[DollyDagger]

I also heard that cutting hair short makes them grow faster.

And that women shouldn't dye their hair when they're on period.


I second the not dying hair while having a period one. I also knew about a saying that if you shave your hair it would grow back thicker.

maybe this is a good one..to wait until hormone-y-pms-y feelings dissapate..see if urge for extreme change (cut/color) passes

[Naunnie]

Growing up in a beautician's salon, I've heard these and a few more. I love this kind of stuff!

Traumatic events can turn your hair white overnight.

Hair keeps growing even after death.

If you grow more hair when pregnant, it's a boy.

Don't let more than one person work on your hair at a time. One of them will die.

Hide, bury or burn you shreddings/trims. If a bird or rodent nests with it, all your hair will fall out.

Washing your hair everyday will make it fall out.

My favorite that still plagues me; If you don't brush 100 strokes every night, you will have horrible nightmares!shudder:

I know it's a myth but I DO tell my SIL that his hair line is receding because he won't take of his baseball cap. I insist and he complies at the dinner table though!;)

Don't cut your hair at the first of the year. You will cut off all your good luck. Same thing if you wash on New Years Day.

Don't cut your after dark or ghosts will come around.

Save a lock of hair from baby's first haircut for good luck.

I tend to believe the moon phases advice. :agree:

I'll ask my Mom if she remembers anymore tomorrow, from back in the day!

[Naunnie]

Well poo! I can't edit yet. Don't cut your "Hair" after dark or ghosts will come around.

[DollyDagger]

Growing up in a beautician's salon, I've heard these and a few more. I love this kind of stuff!

Traumatic events can turn your hair white overnight.

Hair keeps growing even after death.

If you grow more hair when pregnant, it's a boy.

Don't let more than one person work on your hair at a time. One of them will die.

Hide, bury or burn you shreddings/trims. If a bird or rodent nests with it, all your hair will fall out.

Washing your hair everyday will make it fall out.

My favorite that still plagues me; If you don't brush 100 strokes every night, you will have horrible nightmares!shudder:

I know it's a myth but I DO tell my SIL that his hair line is receding because he won't take of his baseball cap. I insist and he complies at the dinner table though!;)

Don't cut your hair at the first of the year. You will cut off all your good luck. Same thing if you wash on New Years Day.

Don't cut your after dark or ghosts will come around.

Save a lock of hair from baby's first haircut for good luck.

I tend to believe the moon phases advice. :agree:

I'll ask my Mom if she remembers anymore tomorrow, from back in the day!
nice list..! :) you were privy to a slew of them eh..
scarrrrrryyy ghosts..
you reminded me of one
...very first haircut for a baby..put a coin or money in their hand so they dont grow up to be peniless

[Naunnie]

The ghosts didn't scare me as bad as the beauticians!! Family business of females from Mom's side of the family in my Great Grandmothers house. I was always their "guinea pig"! It's amazing I have any hair at all! Probably, a good thing I didn't know about putting a lock on scissors back then.:laugh: Oh! don't get me started on the smell of a perm!:blueeek:

[DollyDagger]

The ghosts didn't scare me as bad as the beauticians!! Family business of females from Mom's side of the family in my Great Grandmothers house. I was always their "guinea pig"! It's amazing I have any hair at all! Probably, a good thing I didn't know about putting a lock on scissors back then.:laugh: Oh! don't get me started on the smell of a perm!:blueeek:
consider yourself lucky you werent experimenting on yourself like some of us..lol
oh yuk...i know thats the worst smell:!:

[excitedmom]

Using henna on hair makes it grow gray prematurely...

Sharing comb with someone with gray roots will make your roots grow gray too...

[flickm]

How about "If you eat your crusts (the tough outer pieces on a sandwich), it'll make your hair curl", as uttered by my Mother, who I'm sure would have done ANYTHING for me to have had any wave at all in my hair.

She shouldn't have married a guy with straight, fine hair! :laugh:

My uncle used to say that to me to get me to eat the crusts.

[flickm]

About hair growing after death. I think it's true. I went to a museum if medical exhibits with my brother in law when he was studying dentistry, and there wereheads,hands and other parts of humans displaying tumours etc, and they had really long hair and nails. Hmm, I need to google this!

Ok' i was wrong ��

[MsPharaohMoan]

Don't let more than one person work on your hair at a time. One of them will die.

Fantastically dramatic. I can only imagine where this beauty came from.

Funny, I noticed my first gray hair (IT'S SO SPARKLY) and being so enamored with the sparkle I seriously considered plucking it, under the logic that two more sparkly strands would grow in its place. Thankfully good sense prevailed.

[Johannah]

meteor- yes...along with the more frequently you cut...the faster it will grow.

For me personally, this IS true. When I was maintaining (cutting it twice a month or so), my hair grew double as fast (+/- 1 inch a month).

[hennalonghair]

The one that strikes me the most is probably: "The shorter you cut it, the faster it will grow." :confused:
:rollin: This has got to be the funniest myth every.
Cutting your hair makes it grow faster:lol::silly:

My all time favourite is that brushing your hair is bad for it:doh:



How about "If you eat your crusts (the tough outer pieces on a sandwich), it'll make your hair curl", as uttered by my Mother, who I'm sure would have done ANYTHING for me to have had any wave at all in my hair.

She shouldn't have married a guy with straight, fine hair! :laugh:


I recently had to explain to my partner that this isn't even remotely true :p


Using henna on hair makes it grow gray prematurely...

Sharing comb with someone with gray roots will make your roots grow gray too...


About hair growing after death. I think it's true. I went to a museum if medical exhibits with my brother in law when he was studying dentistry, and there wereheads,hands and other parts of humans displaying tumours etc, and they had really long hair and nails. Hmm, I need to google this!

Ok' i was wrong ��

[shakenmilk]

I was informed that the reason I get headaches is because I don't blow my hair dry--letting it air-dry results in headaches, even on days my hair doesn't get wet.

[Viola88]

These are great. Here's another one:

If you don't hide your scissors, your little kids will give themselves a haircut.

Oh wait, that's definitely true :p:wigtongue Just kidding - I can't for the life of me think of an old wives tales about hair.

[restless]

A good friend of mine once informed me that he had heard that you will eventually go bald if you keep your hair long. I never found out why.

[MsBubbles]

maybe this ones true..lol..My dads straight haired and so is my mom.. and i have curly hair..and ive always eaten bread crust..holy smokes! :) hehe

Ok well as long as you don't tell my Mother that! :lol:

Flickm...ok good. Glad it wasn't just me!

Restless...well I guess that might be true if you kept it long your entire life and lived to be 125, or something. But even then you might still have some hair.

Oh! I just thought of another howler from my Mother: "Of course she has a weak, skinny body because of all that long hair (classic length). Because the long hair steals all the nutrients out of the food she's eating".

:rolleyes:

[DollyDagger]

Ok well as long as you don't tell my Mother that! :lol:
ya for sure i wont..last thing we need is Mom thinking shes right.(again...) :)

[DollyDagger]

These are great. Here's another one:

If you don't hide your scissors, your little kids will give themselves a haircut.

Oh wait, that's definitely true :p:wigtongue Just kidding - I can't for the life of me think of an old wives tales about hair.

If you dont hide your hair dye your 12 year old will get into it (my mom learned this the hard way:)

[wilderwein]

If you dont hide your hair dye your 12 year old will get into it (my mom learned this the hard way:)

If you don't hide the scissors AND the razor, your daughter will end up with bad bangs wich will decide to shave couse in her 7years old mind that would fix the problem.
Both me and my mom learned a lesson from this. :lol:

[DollyDagger]

If you don't hide the scissors AND the razor, your daughter will end up with bad bangs wich will decide to shave couse in her 7years old mind that would fix the problem.
Both me and my mom learned a lesson from this. :lol:
hehehe...:)

[MoreAutumnForMe]

When I was 7 my gran said, "if you eat the crusts it'll put hair on your chest," and it was so funny to me that I ate my crusts from then on. No hair yet... :eye::confused:

[Viola88]

When I was 7 my gran said, "if you eat the crusts it'll put hair on your chest," and it was so funny to me that I ate my crusts from then on. No hair yet... :eye::confused:

Hmm, at summer camp, we were told if we didn't eat our crusts, after we died, we'd end up in The Crust House. It's a type of purgatory where you have to eat all the crusts you never ate when you were alive before you get to go to heaven. :D

[MoreAutumnForMe]

Hmm, at summer camp, we were told if we didn't eat our crusts, after we died, we'd end up in The Crust House. It's a type of purgatory where you have to eat all the crusts you never ate when you were alive before you get to go to heaven. :D

Hahaha!!! I can totally imagine my camp counselors doing that! That's priceless :rollin:

[mindwiped]

Ok well as long as you don't tell my Mother that! :lol:

Flickm...ok good. Glad it wasn't just me!

Restless...well I guess that might be true if you kept it long your entire life and lived to be 125, or something. But even then you might still have some hair.

Oh! I just thought of another howler from my Mother: "Of course she has a weak, skinny body because of all that long hair (classic length). Because the long hair steals all the nutrients out of the food she's eating".

:rolleyes:

Ok, my goal is now floor length. If my hair will make me skinny, I'm growing a bunch more of it

[meteor]

Oh! I just thought of another howler from my Mother: "Of course she has a weak, skinny body because of all that long hair (classic length). Because the long hair steals all the nutrients out of the food she's eating".

:rolleyes:

Ha-ha! I got that one, too! :agree: It's amazing how these crazy ideas managed to survive and spread! :bigeyes:
I also heard a variation of that one: "To keep hair strong, one needs to cut it short, so there will be enough nutrients for the body and the hair, for nutrients not to be spread too thinly" :lol:

[hennalonghair]

Ha-ha! I got that one, too! :agree: It's amazing how these crazy ideas managed to survive and spread! :bigeyes:
I also heard a variation of that one: "To keep hair strong, one needs to cut it short, so there will be enough nutrients for the body and the hair, for nutrients not to be spread too thinly" :lol:
:rollin: Did we really fall for this stuff?:lol:

[meteor]

:rollin: Did we really fall for this stuff?:lol:

Well, I was a kid at the time... so I didn't know what to believe. :lol:

I notice a lot of these tales are to get kids to eat specific kinds of foods (like: "eat your crusts/veggies/etc and your hair will curl!") :) How tricky! ;)

[excitedmom]

If you don't oil your hair after washing, your dark hair will go lighter in color and go brownish

[Upside Down]

When I was 7 my gran said, "if you eat the crusts it'll put hair on your chest," and it was so funny to me that I ate my crusts from then on. No hair yet... :eye::confused:


Hmm, at summer camp, we were told if we didn't eat our crusts, after we died, we'd end up in The Crust House. It's a type of purgatory where you have to eat all the crusts you never ate when you were alive before you get to go to heaven. :D

OK, what's this thing with crusts?

They told me when I was little that I should eat crusts because I will have beautiful dark eyebrows.

I do have thick and dark eyebrows.
I did always like to eat crusts.

Hmmmmm

[gossamer]

MIL told me that I shouldn't wash my hair at night and go to bed with it damp because I'd get "head arthritis."

[lapushka]

MIL told me that I shouldn't wash my hair at night and go to bed with it damp because I'd get "head arthritis."

Wow. Wow. That's a bit "much". I mean, I don't go to bed with it damp either as it ruins your bedding if you don't lay down a few towels, and especially with long hair it can be hazardous, because that just gets everywhere. So my days of doing that are over (before hitting BSL in the summer sometimes I did venture out and do that).

[syndel]

My all time favorites are the ones about one's hair colour dictating their personality. I've been a redhead my whole life, and I could not even being to tell you the amounts of people I've had assume I have a temper because of it :D.

[syndel]

Oh the spelling mistakes! Haha sorry I don't know how to edit my posts yet. That was meant to be *begin to tell you the amounts of people I've had assume I have a temper.

[gossamer]

Oh the spelling mistakes! Haha sorry I don't know how to edit my posts yet. That was meant to be *begin to tell you the amounts of people I've had assume I have a temper.

Fret not, you'll get editing privileges once you've posted a little more around here. :)

[syndel]

Fret not, you'll get editing privileges once you've posted a little more around here. :)

Ahhh I see. Lovely, thank you for the info. Am a long time lurker but new poster. :o

[Naunnie]

My all time favorites are the ones about one's hair colour dictating their personality. I've been a redhead my whole life, and I could not even being to tell you the amounts of people I've had assume I have a temper because of it :D.

Same thing here! Heard it countless times..."you don't want to tick "Red' off! There are so many stereotypes about our hair color. Of course, most are untrue.

[Anje]

Same thing here! Heard it countless times..."you don't want to tick "Red' off! There are so many stereotypes about our hair color. Of course, most are untrue.
Yep. Being a redhead, I'm automatically a choleric temperament.

(OK, OK, I probably do qualify as choleric. But if you look at my hair and conclude that, I'll zot you!)

[MsBubbles]

:rollin: Did we really fall for this stuff?:lol:

I guess luckily I was born with a whole lot more logic than my Mother! So a lot of what she said just left me going "Eh?".

I'm glad others have heard these too. It makes the whole thing less disturbing in my mind. :D

[DollyDagger]

Yep. Being a redhead, I'm automatically a choleric temperament.

(OK, OK, I probably do qualify as choleric. But if you look at my hair and conclude that, I'll zot you!)


Same thing here! Heard it countless times..."you don't want to tick "Red' off! There are so many stereotypes about our hair color. Of course, most are untrue.

lol..this one spans across cultures..


Oh the spelling mistakes! Haha sorry I don't know how to edit my posts yet. That was meant to be *begin to tell you the amounts of people I've had assume I have a temper.

pftt..no worries..im dyslexic typist

[DollyDagger]

MIL told me that I shouldn't wash my hair at night and go to bed with it damp because I'd get "head arthritis."

haha..thats funny...

[syndel]

pftt..no worries..im dyslexic typist

Aren't we all! :)

The other interesting redhead wives' tale I've encountered has been about how we are more promiscuous/deviant/freak in the sheets than the other hair colours. No joke, I've even had a sleazy guy hit on me at a bar about it; something along the lines of wanting to have the "redhead experience". How charming.

[Viola88]

Aren't we all! :)

The other interesting redhead wives' tale I've encountered has been about how we are more promiscuous/deviant/freak in the sheets than the other hair colours. No joke, I've even had a sleazy guy hit on me at a bar about it; something along the lines of wanting to have the "redhead experience". How charming.

What, a punch in the mouth, courtesy of my charming redhead personality? :D

[syndel]

What, a punch in the mouth, courtesy of my charming redhead personality? :D

Haha brilliant, should have thought of that! It was just such an unusual pick up line, my normally quick wit failed me and I think I just stared at him with a mildly disgusted expression until he got uncomfortable and left.

[brickworld13]

So this one is a bit icky. I didn't have any hair at all until I was 3-4 or so. Grandma had taken it upon herself to rub chicken fat all over my scalp because it was apparently supposed to make my hair grow. When I learned about this years later, I was mortified.

[DollyDagger]

So this one is a bit icky. I didn't have any hair at all until I was 3-4 or so. Grandma had taken it upon herself to rub chicken fat all over my scalp because it was apparently supposed to make my hair grow. When I learned about this years later, I was mortified.

lol..hey it worked though!

[DollyDagger]

Heres some really strange superstitions about redheads..I remember reading in a book once about how it's bad luck to stand in the shadow of a redhead so I searched it up

http://www.diancurtisregan.com/redheadsrock.html

Not picking on redheads at all..I think its cool to have all this lore associated with your hair :)


In Denmark, it's considered an honor to have a red-headed child.

*In Donegal, if a child is born with red hair, it means a pig was sleeping beneath the bed.

*In England, some believe that if the shadow of a redhead falls upon you, it will bring bad luck.
*It's believed that bees sting redheads more than they sting other people.

*In New Zealand, it's believed redheads have a straight road to Heaven.

*In Greek mythology, redheads turn into vampires when they die.

*Red hair is caused by a mutation of genes.

*Only 4% of the world's population are natural redheads.

*Fairies have red hair.

*Clowns (usually) have red hair.

*It's bad luck to meet a redhead at the beginning of a journey.

*You'll also have bad luck if your first visitor in a new year is a redhead.

*In the middle ages, it was believed that poison needed one special ingredient: blood from a redhead.

For any other weirdos who are fascinated by wivestales and superstitions there was this-

"The 'crowning glory' is one of the most indestructible parts of the body. As such, a sudden loss of hair is unlucky, forecasting a decline in health, loss of property or failure in business, or the death of a closely related child. Red hair is associated with fiery-tempered people (e.g. Cleopatra and Queen Elizabeth I); black and dark brown hair indicate strength; fair hair implies timidity. On a man, if the hair grows low on the forehead and back above the temples he will have a long life; if a woman's hair grows in a low point on her forehead ('widow's peak') she will outlive her husband. If a woman suddenly develops curls on her forehead her man has not long to live.

Lank hair = a cunning nature; Curly hair = good natured, full of fun; Long hair = strength (e.g. Samson) and luck.

alot of strength found around here!!!! lol :)

It is said to be unlucky to have your hair cut when the moon is in the wane as this will cause it to fall out and lose its lustre. Cutting your own hair will tempt fate. To determine your future: set fire to some strands of your hair - cut them off first!. If they burn brightly, you are in for a long life. If they splutter and smoulder, it is said to be a death omen. Never pull out grey hairs, for one will be replaced by ten. It has often been believed that a sudden fright can turn hair white."

http://www.whimsy.org.uk/superstitions.html

[MsBubbles]

That's so sad about all the idiotic 'bad luck' sayings regarding redheads. My son is a redhead so I read all of these as if they were talking about him. Makes me want to make up some other kind of random nonsense like "If you meet a middle child on the beginning of a journey, you will die".

If you stand in the shadow of a lefty, you will be cursed forever!

If you get served dinner in a restaurant by someone with a song stuck in their head, you will have bad luck.

Etc. :D

[door72067]

How about "If you eat your crusts (the tough outer pieces on a sandwich), it'll make your hair curl", as uttered by my Mother, who I'm sure would have done ANYTHING for me to have had any wave at all in my hair.

She shouldn't have married a guy with straight, fine hair! :laugh:



in my family it was "eat the crusts, it'll put hair on your chest"

As a young girl, I avoided crust for a LOT of years! lol

[door72067]

Ha-ha! I got that one, too! :agree: It's amazing how these crazy ideas managed to survive and spread! :bigeyes:
I also heard a variation of that one: "To keep hair strong, one needs to cut it short, so there will be enough nutrients for the body and the hair, for nutrients not to be spread too thinly" :lol:

I had someone tell me "the longer your hair gets, the more strength you lose" ...and this was maybe a year or so ago

I said "how? hair isn't alive?"

I got a weird, blank stare in response HAHA

[Christine_O]

Hmm, at summer camp, we were told if we didn't eat our crusts, after we died, we'd end up in The Crust House. It's a type of purgatory where you have to eat all the crusts you never ate when you were alive before you get to go to heaven. :D

That's cute! Of course they couldn't use that one on us because I attended Lutheran summer camp...no purgatory. We just couldn't leave the table until we'd eaten everything.

[Christine_O]

Same thing here! Heard it countless times..."you don't want to tick "Red' off! There are so many stereotypes about our hair color. Of course, most are untrue.

Yeah, I was blonde until I hit my thirties, then slowly turned to brown. I was never a ditz, I certainly didn't become more practical from the change in color, and I've always had a temper.

[Johannah]

*In New Zealand, it's believed redheads have a straight road to Heaven.

*In Greek mythology, redheads turn into vampires when they die.


I'm going to henna my hair when I'm becoming really old :rolling:

[lapushka]

in my family it was "eat the crusts, it'll put hair on your chest"

As a young girl, I avoided crust for a LOT of years! lol

Here in Belgium the saying is, and it rhymes, "Van korstjes krijg je borstjes". Crusts will give you breasts.

[Christine_O]

I don't have a new wives tale to add. I did fall for the one about having your hair grow out longer/thicker after it was cut short, but knowing my mother she didn't believe it at the time herself. We were getting ready for a summer long car trip and she didn't want to have to mess with my long hair.

[Johannah]

Here in Belgium the saying is, and it rhymes, "Van korstjes krijg je borstjes". Crusts will give you breasts.

When I grew up, they said that you'd learn to whistle from eating crusts :lol:

[vendethiel]

The ones I always heard were:
Using a brush makes your hair fall out, so you can only use a comb.
and, ironically,
Brushing your hair 100 strokes every night will make it healthier.

Also, it's not really a wives' tale, but a common belief among people I know is you can't S&D split ends, you need to trim the whole head of hair. When I asked the logic behind this thinking, I was told because you need all of your hair to be the same length and if you just trimmed off split ends individually, you hair would be different lengths. I always found this thinking odd...

[DollyDagger]

What is up with the crusts..lol My mom used to say dipping your crust in sauces and gravies will ensure youll have good looking children. Like I needed encouragement ...(to dip).:P

[DollyDagger]

What is up with the crusts..!!lol My mom used to say dipping your crust in sauces and gravies will ensure youll have good looking children. Like I needed encouragement ...(to dip).:P


@vendethiel such nonsense..:) lol

[Upside Down]

Here in Belgium the saying is, and it rhymes, "Van korstjes krijg je borstjes". Crusts will give you breasts.

:lol: well, this one is not true, I can testify, being fkat chested after all those crusts. But then, maybe all my crusts went into my eyebrows :lol: (unibrow till highschool)


When I grew up, they said that you'd learn to whistle from eating crusts :lol:

This is getting better. I am fascinated with this fascination with crusts :lol:


What is up with the crusts..lol My mom used to say dipping your crust in sauces and gravies will ensure youll have good looking children. Like I needed encouragement ...(to dip).:P

Aaa more crust stories!
Here it was 'finish off your plate somyou will have a good looking husband/children' :lol: