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WaitingSoLong
February 8th, 2010, 09:32 AM
Have any of you ever ran across people who think long hair is dirty? Like they are afraid your hair will find itself in their food, or if you touch your hair (to get it out of your face, for example) that now your ands are dirty and need to be washed?

As much as I have posted about hair petting and weird hair comments, I have also experienced the flip-side, and get a standoffish sort of "eww" look from some people. They are always (of course) short haired people. My mom in particular seems not to like my long hair. She has NEVER commented on it. Not good or bad. But I can just tell she does not like it. And me and my Mom are very close and get along great. I just am curious, not perturbed or anything. Anyone else?

Narya
February 8th, 2010, 09:39 AM
The closest I got to something like that was the "you look awful with hair so long." kind of comment, but no "eww"s at all. I remember worrying about it when I was younger, though, so I washed and washed and washed it just out of fear that people would think it was dirty or something.

Dreams_in_Pink
February 8th, 2010, 09:41 AM
i wonder what that kind of people think about dreads...:D

Fairlight63
February 8th, 2010, 09:47 AM
Not any real comments about the hair being dirty, but I HATE finding hair in food. I especially don't like it if someone finds my hair in the food that I have cooked. I always put my hair up while cooking & change my shirt just incase some loose hairs are on it. (I shed a lot, so I have to be careful of what cloths that I have on, for instance I have a sweater that I like to wear in the house in the winter because it is really warm, but it attracts hair like a magnic, so I can't wear it when I am cooking.)

vamq
February 8th, 2010, 09:52 AM
Well, my BF's aunt doesn't like my long hair.

I was on a short vacation with BF's side of the family. I was combing my hair. Because I don't like long shed hair all over the place, I did this outside.
She was looking at me, and I could just see the disgust on her face. She was all like "but those dirty long hairs will be blown into the house....going everywhere..and in my food!" (the door/windows were closed actually...)
I got more comments like that in the days after that. I couldn't care less, actually.

The fun part here, is that while she was looking at me, all grossed out, her daughter (age 12) was also looking at my hair, saying "mum, I want my hair that long too!":D

Juneii
February 8th, 2010, 09:55 AM
yes, just like people who find short hair unattractive. those are usually the people with long hair.

long hair can be pretty gross if it gets in food like Fairlight said, I find it pretty gross when I find my own hair on the floor, I know it bugs my mom like crazy and I think it's starting to get to my roommate...

curlycrown
February 8th, 2010, 10:19 AM
In the "black community" it is not at all gross for an AA person to have long hair because it is so hard to come by (or so some of them believe). I think that some AA people think that it is gross for a white person to have super long hair but I dont know why it is that way. Most AA's that are not into haircare wash their hair once a month or less! I grew up with the teaching that long hair was acceptable for blacks but if a white person had long hair then it was gross because it would shed every where like a dog or cat hair. I know that all of that teaching was so very WRONG! I shed a lot and I also know plenty of white people that dont shed everywhere. In my opinion no matter how long someone's hair is or what their race is, as long as they take proper care and have good hygene there is no reason for me to think that their hair is gross just because it is long. I hope this makes sense and that I dont come off as racist or anything. :)

Madame J
February 8th, 2010, 10:20 AM
It's funny -- since my hair's been longer, we've stopped finding my hairs around the lab as often. I wear it up all the time! While I'm not generally icked out by hair, I did find it kind of annoying when my former coworker left her hair partially loose while adjusting our ultra-high vacuum chamber -- she shed a big old blonde hair right over the middle of the apparatus. Hair is NOT vacuum-compatible.

When I had waist-length hair in college, my mom always complained that my hair looked "stringy" when I wore it loose. Looking back on some pictures from college, my hair didn't look great, and it was probably from stressing my scalp by washing with SLS almost every day. So maybe she had a point. And it was a little gross that when I combed all the hair off my carpet the color changed from brownish back to blue...

spidermom
February 8th, 2010, 10:24 AM
A friend told me that it icked her out to find other people's shed hair on her furniture, so I quit going over there.

SheaLynne
February 8th, 2010, 10:34 AM
I think some people just have an over-sensitive "ewww" button somewhere ;) I also think it is a level of spoiled-ness that we think everything has to be so perfectly clean. I mean, are we supposed to keep shaved heads so that a hair never gets into anything?

With that said, my grandmother really did not like long hair at all. I don't know if it had to do with that, but she just kept her hair short and permed and anyone who had long hair, she would say how they needed to cut that mop of hair off (in a very disgusted tone).

I cook a LOT and honestly, I never find hairs in our food (and I have kids who would point it out if they found any!), but when I was growing up, my mom had short hair, and I often found them in my food. I think having short hair leaves it much more likely that hairs are going to just fall out at any time into the food, whereas long hair that is secured up might shed while you're cooking but would not be able to actually fall right then. But even if your hair was loose (which I don't do when cooking for safety reasons), it would fall more to the floor due to the length of the other hairs, rather than straight down into the food.

Just my thoughts... Most over-reactions are things that haven't been thought out well and if you point out some logical things about it, they might stop to think rather than have a gut reflex reaction about it. :D

frodolaughs
February 8th, 2010, 10:37 AM
A friend told me that it icked her out to find other people's shed hair on her furniture, so I quit going over there.
I'd do the same. Everyone's hair sheds. We also exhale, and sometimes we inhale air which has previously been exhaled by other people. now THAT's icky :p. I find hair in my food upsetting, but my hair is up when I'm cooking, which eliminates most of the problem. I once complained about hair in a restaurant dish and had the waitperson tell me that it must be mine. I was not happy. It obviously wasn't. It was baked in.

Kris Dove
February 8th, 2010, 10:47 AM
I don't think anyone's ever thought my hair is gross, although I've been told it looks lank, I'd look better with it shorter because it's too fine to wear long, etc.

I imagine if I started cooking without tying my hair back it would gross people out no matter how much they admire long hair or how clean my hair was. Although, as SheaLynne said, logically because short hair not contained is actually more likely to fall into food than long hair in a pony is. (I think short haired people in food factories have to wear some sort of hairnet?)

Xandergrammy
February 8th, 2010, 10:55 AM
A friend told me that it icked her out to find other people's shed hair on her furniture, so I quit going over there.



That's what I'd do! :thumbsup:

MissMay
February 8th, 2010, 10:59 AM
I've never found long hair gross, but I can understand why some people might be afraid by it if it falls out. My mom always used to tell me that there were loads of germs in hair (no idea if that's true) and because of that I have a serious "ick!" response when I find hair in my food, regardless of whether or not it's mine.
Though I don't see why people would be grossed out by it if it's firmly attached, unless it looks really greasy, although from experience it seems that many shorthairs have greasy hair too.

'Tis a mystery =D

Peggy E.
February 8th, 2010, 11:05 AM
Know what? That's THEIR problem!

There's no way any of us can change the attitudes of anyone if they aren't open to accepting the truth. A person's personal preferences, or their aversions, is something each individual has developed over the years and based on a number of influences, not all of which are realistic or even reasonable. It's the way they are and how they're going to stay.

We know how to care for our hair and I would imagine most of us endeavor to keep it out of any food - be it someone elses or our own!

If it's a matter of someone never making any sort of comment about your hair, positive or negative, then just let it go. What's the point in forcing the issue, particularly if you are pretty sure that there's going to be a negative outcome?

Each of us is more than our hair and there are so many levels on which we connect with others, it is possible to go through life with friendships and relationships and never really get into the issue of whether someone is happy or not with our hair! What counts is what WE think!

kwaniesiam
February 8th, 2010, 11:06 AM
i wonder what that kind of people think about dreads...:D

I get dirty comments sometimes, but in truth I wash my hair 2-3 times a week and once a month I do a deep cleaning soak. My hair is actually cleaner than some people who wash daily when you account for the lack of product in mine. Also I don't leave shed hairs anywhere because they all get tangled in to the mass ;)

morguebabe
February 8th, 2010, 11:09 AM
I think I'm as equally grossed out if I find shed hairs from long or short people on my food or something, I dont think length has anything to do with it.

I do have friend that call me days after we hang out and tell my found my hair in their car or something.

tralalalara
February 8th, 2010, 11:48 AM
I had problems in school with black girls saying "white girls like her should have to put their hair up in the cafeteria! we can't have them flippin' they hair into our food!"

but this was middle school, where everyone was judgmental no matter what.

and my mom has short fine permed hair and I find it in my food more than my own after I cook.

Tarja Sky
February 8th, 2010, 11:48 AM
When I find hair in my food (luckely not often!) most of the time it's short hair.... People with long hair hold it together most of the time when they cook....
:cool:

fae
February 8th, 2010, 12:10 PM
my mom HATES my long hair. Hates, hates, hates it. She always tells me to cut at least a foot off.

She french braided it yesterday (because I'm retarded and can't do it) and she was so irritated at the length I thought she was going to rip my hair out.

I think long hair is very, very beautiful. But i'm biased. With like 3 and a half feet hair. (or something like that)

enfys
February 8th, 2010, 12:20 PM
I've found long hair gross before now. When I haven't washed it for too long I've found my own hair gross. Say I've not washed my hair in a week and it's greasy I'll not dream of getting a cup or plate out of the cupboard after touching my hair. And I'd certainly not prepare food without washing my hands first.

I've found long hair gross on other people too. I like when it at least has the illusion of being clean and untangled.

Likewise I've found short hair gross, skin, odour. All sorts. We all have things we find gross and not much will change our minds.

feralnature
February 8th, 2010, 12:20 PM
In the "black community" it is not at all gross for an AA person to have long hair because it is so hard to come by (or so some of them believe). I think that some AA people think that it is gross for a white person to have super long hair but I dont know why it is that way. Most AA's that are not into haircare wash their hair once a month or less! I grew up with the teaching that long hair was acceptable for blacks but if a white person had long hair then it was gross because it would shed every where like a dog or cat hair. I know that all of that teaching was so very WRONG! I shed a lot and I also know plenty of white people that dont shed everywhere. In my opinion no matter how long someone's hair is or what their race is, as long as they take proper care and have good hygene there is no reason for me to think that their hair is gross just because it is long. I hope this makes sense and that I dont come off as racist or anything. :)

curlycrown, this is probably the most interesting post I will read all day. Very insiteful. Thanks for the thoughtful post.

little_cherry
February 8th, 2010, 01:00 PM
i wonder what that kind of people think about dreads...:D HA! I was thinking the exact same thing! :D

When I had BSL hair, I got lots of "oooh so beautiful" comments. I did get a few "your hair is long and gross" comments. To that I ask " How often do you wash your hands during the day? You know, germs are EVERYWHERE" Quite often, they just shut up ;)

GoddesJourney
February 8th, 2010, 01:11 PM
Yes. A lot of people consider hair to be like fingernails. It's a dead piece of your body that is now laying on somebody's floor or chair and they don't like it. Some cultures even have specific rules about how to dispose of sheared hair or clipped fingernails because they are considered unclean. That's fine I guess. Not everybody has to like it just because I do.

ilovelonghair
February 8th, 2010, 02:00 PM
I never get any comments from people who find my hair gross, but when I was a teen I went as a volunteer to a girl guides camp with my moms friends and she hated long hair, she found loose hair 'messy' so all the girls had to wear their hair up.

My first boyfriend used to have something against hair shedding, I was always worried and ill and it fell out like crazy and we had carpet and he had the strangest way of removing hair from the carpet: by rubbing his foot over the carpet and getting the hair off (what's wrong with a vacuum cleaner?)

xoxophelia
February 8th, 2010, 02:09 PM
I agree that being grossed out by long hair is spoiled. It is selfish to expect people to conform to your ideas of what is right with something so trivial as hair. If you are not impeeding on anybody, they need to butt out and leave you alone. I have only ever had one guy complain about my hair shedding and he was a neat freak to the absolute extreme. My last boyfriend found it to be endearing when he found a hair left in his bed haha.

People need to stop trying to control their environment to the point of it being sterile. Even a utensil will have germs in it and door knobs, phones. I think we are missing out on something when we can no longer appreciate the Earth and our bodies in a very hands on, down and dirty way.

jera
February 8th, 2010, 02:46 PM
No one has ever been grossed out by my long hair but I've been grossed out by the long hair of others if it's dirty. :( Not the way it looks either, but the way it smells. Ew. Wash it already why don't ya. :p

WritergirlAD
February 8th, 2010, 03:18 PM
This is a really interesting thread. I've never been disgusted by someone's hair, long or short, unless it is very visibly greasy or dirty. I've always considered long hair to be beautiful, a goal I wanted to attain, so it's strange to me to that some people view it the same way as fingernails. I've gotten a few comments that I would look better with short hair, but no one has ever told me it looks gross, luckily.

Carolyn
February 8th, 2010, 03:34 PM
When I cook it's only for me or family. If they find a hair in it :shrug: I find my own shed hair in my food all the time. I also find a lot of my dog's hair in my food. I pull it out, drop it on the floor and go on eating. It's not a big deal. Someone else's hair in restaurant food would bother me and I've sent food back a couple of times. The only hair I find "gross" is obviously dirty hair that smells bad.

enfys
February 8th, 2010, 03:44 PM
I never get any comments from people who find my hair gross, but when I was a teen I went as a volunteer to a girl guides camp with my moms friends and she hated long hair, she found loose hair 'messy' so all the girls had to wear their hair up.

My first boyfriend used to have something against hair shedding, I was always worried and ill and it fell out like crazy and we had carpet and he had the strangest way of removing hair from the carpet: by rubbing his foot over the carpet and getting the hair off (what's wrong with a vacuum cleaner?)

I use the foot rubbing method. We (my mum, sister and I) all but burnt out a hoover motor with hair getting caught around it when they had long hair too. Making it into a felt ball on the floor so you can pick it up and bin it means less wear and tear on your hoover.

Ooh I sound a bit domesticated.

Peter
February 8th, 2010, 03:53 PM
Yup, I've met a few people like that.

I don't care what they think. :D

HildeMV
February 8th, 2010, 03:57 PM
I once had a little tangle in my hair, when I detangled a small tangle of hair came out, and a class mate said "yuck" several times. Why is it suddenly gross a millisecond after it's off my head?

practikalmagik
February 8th, 2010, 04:05 PM
Never had the gross thing with hair personally but I have heard it a lot from people. Especially regarding hair in food!

I really don't get the 'eeew' factor of hair in food *shrugs* just pick it out. Saying that I'm really relaxed about a lot of things, like sharing hairbrushes etc. It's not like you're gonna die from the odd germ and I think you make yourself more sick worrying bout it.

ericthegreat
February 8th, 2010, 04:16 PM
I am not grossed out by either super long hair or very short hair or even someone who is bald. What I am grossed out by is anyone who literally has a horrible smell to them. I hate black, dirty fingernails and I am completely turned off by anyone that clearly didn't take a shower. Seriously, in my humble opinion everyone should take a shower every night or every morning and use deodorant, especially during the hot and sweaty summer months.

enfys
February 8th, 2010, 04:23 PM
I think the gross thing about hair being in your food is that you don't konw if the hair was clean. That's the gross thought for me; a hot kitchen making your scalp sweat. Bleh. I'm different at home. If I find a relatives hair in my food I'm not as bothered as if I find a bit of gristle or eggshell or something.

ravenreed
February 8th, 2010, 04:28 PM
We have two cats that even without ever being in the kitchen while cooking is happening, still manage to "spice" our food with their fur... My hair doesn't get into the food to often, but cat hair is a regular addition.


When I cook it's only for me or family. If they find a hair in it :shrug: I find my own shed hair in my food all the time. I also find a lot of my dog's hair in my food. I pull it out, drop it on the floor and go on eating. It's not a big deal. Someone else's hair in restaurant food would bother me and I've sent food back a couple of times. The only hair I find "gross" is obviously dirty hair that smells bad.

Lamb
February 8th, 2010, 05:46 PM
I confess the pain of seeing long(ish) shed hairs all over the place and having to clean them away has been a strong deterrent from growing my hair out. :( I also know a lot of new mothers cut their hair because longer shed hairs (while they may not be more numerous than short hairs) create a big post-partum mess. (My own sister cut her SL hair to a short inverted bob because of this two months ago. I didn't blame her one bit.)

As others noted, everyone have their own phobias - some people are grossed out by bugs or spiders or snakes, others from hair in their faces/food/on their desk or chairs. To each their own. :shrug:

sally_neuf
February 8th, 2010, 06:05 PM
I hate black, dirty fingernails.
ME TOO! Actually, I am a teacher's assitent at college, and I really treat bad people who come to ask me about a test or a homework and are pointing their sheets with greasy dirty and unkept fingernails. And if they are whispering because we are in the middle of a test, and have bad breath, I might even give them the wrong answer :o

Back to the topic: I have heard that, not to me, I only have short hair. but I guess people are not open minded and aware that everyone should mind their own business

MandyBeth
February 8th, 2010, 06:16 PM
Hair is hardly the worst thing getting in my food - come on, I live with critters and I bring their fleece/hair into the house to work with it - hair gets around.

It's not the length that squicks me - it's the icky hair. Like the bleached, blow-fried, straightened hair that also hasn't been washed in 8 days because washing means you have to go thru all the work again. Well, yes - and I agree with keeping the heat off your hair - but blech, it's still a mess and now it just smells.

windinherhair
February 8th, 2010, 06:29 PM
I have heard of people having bad experiences this way, but I have personally not dealt with this... yet. But the way I see it, I would rather have a long hair in my food that can be easily found instead of those little hairs that you would eat without knowing. lol.

Fiferstone
February 8th, 2010, 06:43 PM
We have two cats that even without ever being in the kitchen while cooking is happening, still manage to "spice" our food with their fur... My hair doesn't get into the food to often, but cat hair is a regular addition.
Mmmmnnnnn....yummy cat hair....I got 4 kitties, and it's a wonder I'm not yarking up hairballs from their fur. I swear I could knit a whole cat from what we sweep up every 2-3 days.

Lorien
February 9th, 2010, 01:45 AM
Hello,

I find healthy long hair gorgeous, but there are times when I find it gross and that's when it's so long it gets to the floor or near it, simply because it's hard not to imagine it picking up all the dirt from the floor. The other is when the ends are in bad shape and not looking neat with the rest of the hair, I just wish I could trim them off :p, but the hair itself isn't gross to me.

Having hair fall out or anything of the sort isn't something I think about, it's just normal. We shed loads of dead skin every day, but nobody sees that!

ravenreed
February 9th, 2010, 02:26 AM
I read somewhere that a good portion of the dust in our homes is shed skin flakes. THAT creeps me out something fierce.


Hello,

I find healthy long hair gorgeous, but there are times when I find it gross and that's when it's so long it gets to the floor or near it, simply because it's hard not to imagine it picking up all the dirt from the floor. The other is when the ends are in bad shape and not looking neat with the rest of the hair, I just wish I could trim them off :p, but the hair itself isn't gross to me.

Having hair fall out or anything of the sort isn't something I think about, it's just normal. We shed loads of dead skin every day, but nobody sees that!

trillcat
February 9th, 2010, 03:56 AM
I read somewhere that a good portion of the dust in our homes is shed skin flakes. THAT creeps me out something fierce.
Yep, that and the little critters that feed on those skin cells. :disbelief:

ilovelonghair
February 9th, 2010, 05:03 AM
We have two cats that even without ever being in the kitchen while cooking is happening, still manage to "spice" our food with their fur... My hair doesn't get into the food to often, but cat hair is a regular addition.

It's healthy: it adds fiber to the diet...


I use the foot rubbing method. We (my mum, sister and I) all but burnt out a hoover motor with hair getting caught around it when they had long hair too. Making it into a felt ball on the floor so you can pick it up and bin it means less wear and tear on your hoover.

Ooh I sound a bit domesticated.

Maybe those felt balls can be recycled into something, maybe a human hair knitted sweater of something? :p

elina333
February 9th, 2010, 05:12 AM
I love long hair but if there are individual hairs somewhere I find it kind of icky... Its weird, when they're all together on someones head - I love it! But if they get separated from one another and just lie somewhere on their own, I dont fancy it. Odd, isnt it?

Twil
February 9th, 2010, 05:19 AM
Hello fellow Hoosier! :cheese:
I've never gotten that comment, but my hair is rather thick, and I keep it in a braid, so it looks sort of rope-like. I find more people are 'creeped' by straight/fine hair that's long. I have absolutely no idea why. :confused:

Also, I think because many people don't view it as part of White-bread American culture. I've seen Latinas and Asians (south asians esp) with long hair and no one says anything, but a lot of time if the person is white, everyone's cooing how long their hair is.

Humans are such strange creatures.

Svenja
February 9th, 2010, 05:22 AM
I had a weir occurence some years ago. Well it did not happen to me directly but to my sister. She has very lovely mid-back hair. So, we went over to this 'friend' of ours and this 'friend' told my sister straight in the face that she hates finding peoples' hair on her furniture, food, whatever. The weird and most annoying thing about this was that this woman owns 3 cats and a long-haired dog! Hair all over the place! But please no shedding! What?!

Madame J
February 9th, 2010, 05:25 AM
Seriously, in my humble opinion everyone should take a shower every night or every morning and use deodorant, especially during the hot and sweaty summer months.

This not only wastes water, but prevents your body from absorbing Vitamin D that it gets from solar-irradiated skin oils. In a normal week, I do shower 5 days out of 7, and I can't use conventional deodorant because of chemical sensitivities, and I still have friends. Just for a contrasting view :) -- I agree that some people have different body odor issues than others.

I wonder if the "hair is gross" attitude existed before the advent of body shaving. It seems like that's where people started thinking that hair was unsanitary.

Sissy
February 9th, 2010, 05:29 AM
I think being long-haired forces you to keep your house cleaner because the shed hairs or so much more noticeable than a short haired persons. I don't like seeing my shed hairs all over the bathroom floor. I also think it's common manners to observe certain rules like to not brush your hair in a kitchen.

Svenja
February 9th, 2010, 05:32 AM
I wonder if the "hair is gross" attitude existed before the advent of body shaving. It seems like that's where people started thinking that hair was unsanitary.
Actuallu, Madame J, this sounds very true! In times of "shave or you are unhygienic" I am not surprised people tend to have an anti-hair attitude :(

Madame J
February 9th, 2010, 08:00 AM
Actuallu, Madame J, this sounds very true! In times of "shave or you are unhygienic" I am not surprised people tend to have an anti-hair attitude :(

I stopped shaving my armpits for a little while and my mom flipped out, yelled at me and would not let me hug her when she saw them, and then yelled at my husband for not supporting her when he said he didn't mind them. The irony is that I find that my armpits actually smell less when they have long-ish hair in them than when they're shaved, probably because they're less irritated. Shaved is okay, first week's stubble gets a little smelly, and then after a week or so, when it stops feeling prickly, I get less stinky.

ravenreed
February 9th, 2010, 11:31 AM
Yes! Yes we are. (I am studying sociology for just this reason!)


snippy snip...

Humans are such strange creatures.

share801
February 9th, 2010, 12:33 PM
I think in some olden times long hair was sometimes considered "gross" because of lice and similiar issues. Didn't some wealthy people wear wigs back then?

fae
February 9th, 2010, 02:19 PM
I agree that being grossed out by long hair is spoiled. It is selfish to expect people to conform to your ideas of what is right with something so trivial as hair. If you are not impeeding on anybody, they need to butt out and leave you alone. I have only ever had one guy complain about my hair shedding and he was a neat freak to the absolute extreme. My last boyfriend found it to be endearing when he found a hair left in his bed haha.

People need to stop trying to control their environment to the point of it being sterile. Even a utensil will have germs in it and door knobs, phones. I think we are missing out on something when we can no longer appreciate the Earth and our bodies in a very hands on, down and dirty way.

I sooo agree with this. Amen.

jera
February 9th, 2010, 02:35 PM
I think being long-haired forces you to keep your house cleaner because the shed hairs or so much more noticeable than a short haired persons. I don't like seeing my shed hairs all over the bathroom floor. I also think it's common manners to observe certain rules like to not brush your hair in a kitchen.

It does at my house for sure. I'm always vacuming up hair. :o


I think in some olden times long hair was sometimes considered "gross" because of lice and similiar issues. Didn't some wealthy people wear wigs back then?

Yup. In the18th century and in the 1970's. Haha. :D Seriously, in the 18th century most people wore wigs. The hairstyles were so elaborate I guess they figured it was easier to just put on a wig.

WaitingSoLong
February 9th, 2010, 03:34 PM
After reading all the posts...

Hi Twil from Indianapolis! I am a couple counties below you. Lovely snow, eh?

I agree, any length of hair found in food is ick, but I have never found a long hair in food before. It is always short. I have never found my own hair in food and my kids would definitely say something. I keep my hair up when I cook, if for no other reason than to keep my HAIR clean and off the stove, etc.

I am not a big shedder myself.

I see a lot of shorter haired people with shed hairs all over their shirts. It must be the fact that long hairs keep their hair up, or it sort of stays in until brushed out if it is longer.

And I do not have issues with (human) hair on my floor? That is weird to me. When I brush my hair, any loose hairs get grabbed and thrown in the trashcan. We have a dog and I am constantly fighting the dog hair battle. I cannot stand him to be in the kitchen and I have found dog hairs in pretty much everything and I hate it.

My short haired cat's hair was much more bothersome than my long haired cats. But we do not have cats anymore.

When my son had long hair, I had to get after him about the hairs he shed when he combed it. They were all over the sink where he stood to comb and on the floor. My daughter has long hair and she throws her hairs away as well.

I have stayed with family before and found the long-hair-in-the-shower thing to be gross. It will be all over the walls or the floor and wrapped around the soap, etc. I take care for this NOT to happen in my house. It is simple to rinse it down and ocassionally have to use drain-o.

Greasy hair does not bother me but smelly heads do. I have a very sensitive sense of smell and probably bathe too often and bathed my kids too often when they were younger. I worry a lot about how my head smells and wash more often than I should because of this. I can smell my own head, too. LOL. But over-perfumed people smell just as bad to me as under-bathed ones. I do associate bad smells with dirtiness.

Anyway, I agree with one poster that said extreme opinions are usually not well thought out. I have taken any negative vibes about my hair with a grain of salt. I will not even attempt to please everyone or change myself to make others more comfortable. However, I am very hygeine conscious but that is an OCD thing for me. Especially my breath.

I have to draw the line with the hair stylists who want to chop my hair because it will be "easier to care for"....???? I think my hair is easier to care for now than when it was short and and I wondered if they thought my hair was not well cared for (dirty) but I don't care, I just look for another stylist!

As for my Mom, she has never said anything and I know she wouldn't, she is too sweet. It is just a look or two I see and the general avoidance of acidentally touching my hair. She is a neat freak, but then so am I. So I can understand to some degree.

And I have never heard the AA thing before, that was definitely educational!

Twil
February 9th, 2010, 03:42 PM
Yes! Yes we are. (I am studying sociology for just this reason!)
I'm not studying, but I have a huge collection of anthro and socio books in my room! I desperately want this: http://www.amazon.com/Hair-Styling-Culture-Sarah-Cheang/dp/1845207920/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1265755209&sr=1-2

Next time I have the money. :o

LadyLongLocks
February 9th, 2010, 04:23 PM
I have had some weird negative comments on youtube from people who are shocked and grossed out by long hair.
The only long hair that is gross to me are HUMAN HAIR EXTENSIONS! I cant stand the thought of wearing someone else's hair, ewww.
Once a friend got some long blonde extensions and asked me to help put them in. I was so grossed out even though the hair was pretty.
It was like a dead animal to me!

As far as those people who are annoyed by the shedding long hair, all people shed! The long hair is just easier to find. These people just want to find something negative about long hair.
Long hair stirs up some weird reactions.

curlycrown
February 10th, 2010, 08:24 AM
I have had some weird negative comments on youtube from people who are shocked and grossed out by long hair.
The only long hair that is gross to me are HUMAN HAIR EXTENSIONS! I cant stand the thought of wearing someone else's hair, ewww.
Once a friend got some long blonde extensions and asked me to help put them in. I was so grossed out even though the hair was pretty.
It was like a dead animal to me!

As far as those people who are annoyed by the shedding long hair, all people shed! The long hair is just easier to find. These people just want to find something negative about long hair.
Long hair stirs up some weird reactions.

I totally agree with you, especially the bolded statements.

chicken
February 10th, 2010, 09:39 AM
I haven't - but I hear this "old women with long hair are ugly" very often - one old woman sais this of other old women...
But a neighbour of my parents - she had a pixie - broke off with another neighbour with shoulderlength hair, because "it's so ugly, dirty and gross that she looses all this long hair"...

VenusHalley
February 10th, 2010, 10:05 AM
To think that long hair is unhygienic is equally foolish as thinking that long thick hair can cause consumption (TB) because it takes away person's strenght (I read that in some 19th century book). Urban myths.

Beets
February 10th, 2010, 10:15 AM
When I had dreads, a woman actually recoiled in disgust from me when we were both shopping for avocados. As a non-dreaded longhair, I haven't experienced that much, but then I wear my hair up 95% of the time.

When I was much younger, I remember watching Crystal Gale on Sesame Street with some older cousins, and they made a comment about her hair being gross. It was just a passing comment, but it stuck with me for its senseless negativity.

Too bad for people who carry that kind of negativity around with them. How sad to look at the world ready to be repulsed rather than seeking and finding beauty.

Prism
February 10th, 2010, 10:35 AM
I never really understood that until today. I went to an album and saw a photo of a woman with hair touching her ankles. It wasn't trimmed, was growing in a V-shape, and for some reason I had an immediate EWWW reaction. It wasn't even something I thought about. I analyzed it afterward, trying to understand what about it bothered me. I'm still not sure. My best guess is that it is very similar to my reaction to the following photo. See how you feel when you look at it :

http://tinyurl.com/2khrlh

I'm a firm believer you should grow your hair as long as you want, ankle and beyond even. People can't help gut reactions that happen without thinking, but they can help the rude comments.

ericthegreat
February 10th, 2010, 10:37 AM
When I had dreads, a woman actually recoiled in disgust from me when we were both shopping for avocados. As a non-dreaded longhair, I haven't experienced that much, but then I wear my hair up 95% of the time.

When I was much younger, I remember watching Crystal Gale on Sesame Street with some older cousins, and they made a comment about her hair being gross. It was just a passing comment, but it stuck with me for its senseless negativity.

Too bad for people who carry that kind of negativity around with them. How sad to look at the world ready to be repulsed rather than seeking and finding beauty.

A lot of that is unfortunately encouraged and even downright taught by society in general and even our own parents. I remember very clearly as a young child, my mom would literally scan the entire playground and pick out which kids looked the most "clean cut" and which one of them belonged to the most popular parents in the neighborhood. Also throughout my school years, she had to know all my friends phone numbers and had to meet every one of them to size them for me, to weed out the ones that "didn't get good grades" or were simply a "bad influence" in her opinion.
Now I may not have any piercings or tattoos on my body(since those are visible!), but because of her overprotective nature I have experimented with and gotten in trouble doing many things that I already knew were bad for me, and I didn't care because all I wanted to so was simply rebel.

spidermom
February 10th, 2010, 10:38 AM
My DH kind of gets creeped out if he sees me in the kitchen with my hair loose because he hates to find it on dishes or the counter or the stove. I do my best to remember to put it up and inspect myself for hairs before I go in there because I agree; best not have shed hairs floating around the kitchen. We scold the dogs out of there for the same reason.

spidermom
February 10th, 2010, 10:42 AM
I never really understood that until today. I went to an album and saw a photo of a woman with hair touching her ankles. It wasn't trimmed, was growing in a V-shape, and for some reason I had an immediate EWWW reaction. It wasn't even something I thought about. I analyzed it afterward, trying to understand what about it bothered me. I'm still not sure. My best guess is that it is very similar to my reaction to the following photo. See how you feel when you look at it :

http://tinyurl.com/2khrlh

I'm a firm believer you should grow your hair as long as you want, ankle and beyond even. People can't help gut reactions that happen without thinking, but they can help the rude comments.

My gut reaction: How in the world could somebody bathe and brush teeth, etc, with nails like that?

Prism
February 10th, 2010, 10:42 AM
I read somewhere that a good portion of the dust in our homes is shed skin flakes. THAT creeps me out something fierce.

This is very true. If you don't dust for a while, you'll notice that the dust gets thicker in the rooms you spend most of your time in. It's always funny in movies and books when they show or describe an old abandoned house as being thick with dust. Dust is mostly shed human skin, so it piles up most when someone is living there. (maybe ghosts shed?)

Prism
February 10th, 2010, 10:45 AM
My gut reaction: How in the world could somebody bathe and brush teeth, etc, with nails like that?

hahaha! I've wondered the same thing. But you didn't have an ewwww? I have a very instinctual, immediate eww. Maybe people are just hard-wired to react that way for whatever reason to things that are dead (which would be those long curly nails and even hair). I don't have that reaction with most long hair but did with that one picture for some reason.

Prism
February 10th, 2010, 10:49 AM
Okay, take a look at this. So long, thick and shiny! She's obviously been caring for meticulously for years.

http://tinyurl.com/ybn6n7z








Did you have any "gut" reaction without thinking?

trillcat
February 10th, 2010, 10:58 AM
Okay, take a look at this. So long, thick and shiny! She's obviously been caring for meticulously for years.

http://tinyurl.com/ybn6n7z








Did you have any "gut" reaction without thinking?
I think she is awsome!
My first thought was, "I wonder how heavy those are?"
Sadly for her and all those years of growing them (think it's hard to grow long hair, just imagine that!) she was in a car accident and all of her nails were broken off.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1144563/Woman-longest-fingernails-world-breaks-car-crash.html
:(

yellowchariot
February 10th, 2010, 11:06 AM
I think some people just have an over-sensitive "ewww" button somewhere ;) I also think it is a level of spoiled-ness that we think everything has to be so perfectly clean. I mean, are we supposed to keep shaved heads so that a hair never gets into anything?

With that said, my grandmother really did not like long hair at all. I don't know if it had to do with that, but she just kept her hair short and permed and anyone who had long hair, she would say how they needed to cut that mop of hair off (in a very disgusted tone).

I cook a LOT and honestly, I never find hairs in our food (and I have kids who would point it out if they found any!), but when I was growing up, my mom had short hair, and I often found them in my food. I think having short hair leaves it much more likely that hairs are going to just fall out at any time into the food, whereas long hair that is secured up might shed while you're cooking but would not be able to actually fall right then. But even if your hair was loose (which I don't do when cooking for safety reasons), it would fall more to the floor due to the length of the other hairs, rather than straight down into the food.

Just my thoughts... Most over-reactions are things that haven't been thought out well and if you point out some logical things about it, they might stop to think rather than have a gut reflex reaction about it. :D


Know what? That's THEIR problem!

There's no way any of us can change the attitudes of anyone if they aren't open to accepting the truth. A person's personal preferences, or their aversions, is something each individual has developed over the years and based on a number of influences, not all of which are realistic or even reasonable. It's the way they are and how they're going to stay.

We know how to care for our hair and I would imagine most of us endeavor to keep it out of any food - be it someone elses or our own!

If it's a matter of someone never making any sort of comment about your hair, positive or negative, then just let it go. What's the point in forcing the issue, particularly if you are pretty sure that there's going to be a negative outcome?

Each of us is more than our hair and there are so many levels on which we connect with others, it is possible to go through life with friendships and relationships and never really get into the issue of whether someone is happy or not with our hair! What counts is what WE think!


I agree that being grossed out by long hair is spoiled. It is selfish to expect people to conform to your ideas of what is right with something so trivial as hair. If you are not impeeding on anybody, they need to butt out and leave you alone. I have only ever had one guy complain about my hair shedding and he was a neat freak to the absolute extreme. My last boyfriend found it to be endearing when he found a hair left in his bed haha.

People need to stop trying to control their environment to the point of it being sterile. Even a utensil will have germs in it and door knobs, phones. I think we are missing out on something when we can no longer appreciate the Earth and our bodies in a very hands on, down and dirty way.


I have had some weird negative comments on youtube from people who are shocked and grossed out by long hair.
The only long hair that is gross to me are HUMAN HAIR EXTENSIONS! I cant stand the thought of wearing someone else's hair, ewww.
Once a friend got some long blonde extensions and asked me to help put them in. I was so grossed out even though the hair was pretty.
It was like a dead animal to me!

As far as those people who are annoyed by the shedding long hair, all people shed! The long hair is just easier to find. These people just want to find something negative about long hair.
Long hair stirs up some weird reactions.

^ Agreed! IMO, I think those people that are saying long hair is gross and saying negative comments, have an issue with themselves personally :twocents:. People with certain issues have their "buttons" pushed that trigger them in a negative way.

The way I see it, hair is no different than an other part of the body to make positive or negative comments on. It's rude and and disgraceful nonetheless!
I wonder if those same people would tell someone who sat in a wheel chair that they didn't like their hair, or someone who has cancer that is trying to hold on to their hair?! What then, would they have to say, and would it still be "gross" then?

The whole concept of those negative/gross comments are very silly, and reflects the IQ/personality of the person making the! It would be like telling someone, "Well I don't like your nose, you need to chop it off, its waaaayy to long!"
Here's a better one, "You are too tall, those legs of yours are just too long and gross, you need to have a leg reduction!" :rollin:

I mean really, come on!

Morrighan
February 10th, 2010, 11:22 AM
Okay, take a look at this. So long, thick and shiny! She's obviously been caring for meticulously for years.

http://tinyurl.com/ybn6n7z








Did you have any "gut" reaction without thinking?

I saw that lady on TV a few years ago, and my first thought was, "Cool!" Even though it's not something I would want for myself, I like those nails. I'm a weirdo though.

curlylocks85
February 10th, 2010, 11:28 AM
I stopped shaving my armpits for a little while and my mom flipped out, yelled at me and would not let me hug her when she saw them, and then yelled at my husband for not supporting her when he said he didn't mind them. The irony is that I find that my armpits actually smell less when they have long-ish hair in them than when they're shaved, probably because they're less irritated. Shaved is okay, first week's stubble gets a little smelly, and then after a week or so, when it stops feeling prickly, I get less stinky.

This actually makes sense. Hair grows on the body to help prevent fungus and bacteria from developing which can smell sometimes. Therefore leaving your hair where it naturally grows is not a bad thing in terms of keeping ones body safe from invading harms.

walterSCAN
February 10th, 2010, 12:35 PM
Okay, take a look at this. So long, thick and shiny! She's obviously been caring for meticulously for years.

http://tinyurl.com/ybn6n7z








Did you have any "gut" reaction without thinking?

TBH, my first thought about her nails was "OMG OW!! what if they got caught on something?" I have sensitive nail beds though...

Heh, my real first thought on looking at the picture though, was "My, her hair is fluffy/frizzy..." One track mind here... :o

You do have a point, though. For most people, the reactions come from the same place. I'm going to echo a lot of other posters though, and say that it's perfectly fine to have those reactions, but not fine to voice them-- have all the reactions you want, but keep them to yourself because in reality, it's none of your business how someone else keeps their body. (hypothetical 'you' here! :wink: )

curlycrown
February 10th, 2010, 12:38 PM
I was a little grossed out by the lady with the super long nails. Personally I dont see how she could manage doing anything. I dont see how someone could use the restroom or bathe properly or cook with those nails that long.

Prism
February 10th, 2010, 04:56 PM
It's just interesting the way we react. For me, it was absolutely instinctual when I looked at her nails. There was no being grossed out only after thinking about how she can wipe her hiney or anything. I saw them and immediately recoiled. Maybe that's what some people do with long hair? That's what I did with the one picture here with hair down to ankle, but not any other photo for some reason.

But the rude comments that people make are totally inexcusable. I can't fault them for some hard-wired reaction, but it's just a nasty person who has to let you know how they feel.

VenusHalley
February 10th, 2010, 04:58 PM
the long nails look painful.

cellardoor
February 10th, 2010, 06:08 PM
Honestly, I think hair can be gross at any length. It's all about the upkeep and the person whose head it's growing out of. I have seen my fair share of people with long hair that truly needs to be cut, though. I understand wanting to hold on to length (I'll go without getting trims until it is absolutely necessary. My boyfriend of almost a year made a comment that while we've been dating I haven't ever gotten my hair cut.), but sometimes people just need to realize their hair would look much better and healthier if they took off some of the stringy ends.

TheLuckyLurker
February 10th, 2010, 06:49 PM
It's just interesting the way we react. For me, it was absolutely instinctual when I looked at her nails. There was no being grossed out only after thinking about how she can wipe her hiney or anything. I saw them and immediately recoiled. Maybe that's what some people do with long hair? That's what I did with the one picture here with hair down to ankle, but not any other photo for some reason.

But the rude comments that people make are totally inexcusable. I can't fault them for some hard-wired reaction, but it's just a nasty person who has to let you know how they feel.

Quoted because I agree completely. And the super long nails totally grossed me out too; I actually felt my stomach churn.The difference between me and the folks we're talking about is I would never say anything out loud, since it's none of my business.

BlueMuse
February 10th, 2010, 07:46 PM
I've read comments from people who find long hair disgusting on another website, but it was something they were embarrassed about. They felt really bad that their knee jerk reaction was that it was extremely gross, but said they just couldn't help it.

I realize I'm weird here, and before I go on, let me say that I do make every effort to keep hair out of food. But honestly, if I find hair in my food, it doesn't really bother me. It's a long, dead protein. I know that the hands that handled the food before I got it were most likely far "dirtier" in terms of bacteria than the hair.

I also don't mind finding fuzzballs from myself or others. Though I do wish my coat would stop hacking up the occasional hairball. I guess I figure there are just so many more disgusting things than hair out there (like cat barf), that it just doesn't register with me as a disgusting thing.

ravenreed
February 10th, 2010, 08:50 PM
I have the same issue. I don't use my hair when I go to the loo, I use my hands. I want my hands to be easily cleaned after.


I was a little grossed out by the lady with the super long nails. Personally I dont see how she could manage doing anything. I dont see how someone could use the restroom or bathe properly or cook with those nails that long.

Masara
February 10th, 2010, 11:41 PM
I don't like finding hair in my food, so I put my hair up when I cook. It still gets in sometimes, or someone's hair does; both my daughters have long hair too. I just put it to one side and get on with eating. On the other hand, I'm a bit grossed out by finding hair in food at restaurants. I don't know whose it is and how clean it is (although, logically, it's been cooked)

It's the same thing with shed hairs. If I know whose hairs they are, I don't mind, but I'm not too keen on random shed hairs. Just as I'm not that bothered by family nail clippings, but I wouldn't like to come across someone else's.

The comment about extensions a few pages back reminded me of my 12 year-old daughter last week. We were in Claire's and we were looking at the braided hairbands. Her sister really liked them but she was grossed out by the idea of fake hair (she used to call it "pretend hair") It was a totally instinctive reaction and I suppose that's the whole thing.

curlylocks85
February 11th, 2010, 07:20 AM
I never really understood that until today. I went to an album and saw a photo of a woman with hair touching her ankles. It wasn't trimmed, was growing in a V-shape, and for some reason I had an immediate EWWW reaction. It wasn't even something I thought about. I analyzed it afterward, trying to understand what about it bothered me. I'm still not sure. My best guess is that it is very similar to my reaction to the following photo. See how you feel when you look at it :

http://tinyurl.com/2khrlh

I'm a firm believer you should grow your hair as long as you want, ankle and beyond even. People can't help gut reactions that happen without thinking, but they can help the rude comments.

My initial reaction to the picture was "wow that is so weird". I do not find it gross and I am sure her fingers work just fine for the necessities of life. I do like the color of her hair.

WaitingSoLong
February 12th, 2010, 01:02 PM
I suppose the reaction I had about the nails (how does she do_______) is akin to some comments I get about my hair "how do you wash it" "How do you get a comb through it". They seem silly questions, but to someone who has never had long hair, they probably think it is terribly difficult to keep it clean/deal with and thus the "eww" reaction. It is simply a matter of lack of education/experience. The lady with the nails said she got along just fine, saying she was even able to take care of her husband (alzheimers) just fine. She learned to work with/around them. I cannot grow my nails past a certain length for work reasons. They just get in the way or get bent back, etc. I suppose that is how some people see hair.

Perspectives.

But as far as commenting on body parts like nose or long legs, well, we cannot choose those and to me that is apples and oranges. I can CHOOSE how long my hair is, and so can MOST people. Same with nails, make-up, tattoos, clothing, etc. I guess since it is a CHOICE, it invites criticism. Along with criticism comes the unleashed ignorance as well. Cest la Vie.

fae
February 12th, 2010, 02:59 PM
This isn't about long hair, but more about finding hair in places you would rather not.

My parently unit gives me a really hard time about my shred hair. And just cutting it in general.

This morning as I was brushing my teeth, I kept feeling a brustle that just wasn't right. But it's a tooth bush and I guess sometimes they come lose. I finally took it out to investigate and wouldn't you know it? It was one of my moms hairs lodged in my tooth brush. That I had in my mouth. I don't care how grossed out you may be by having to pick up my hair balls from the floor, having your shed hair in my mouth is far, far grosser.

Gvnagitlvgei
February 12th, 2010, 03:06 PM
curlycrown, this is probably the most interesting post I will read all day. Very insiteful. Thanks for the thoughtful post.


Just please know that it doesn't pertain to everybody, even a majority. That community is as varied as any other.

I will say that I've known people who hate super long hair and view it as disgusting and dirty. That's very unfortunate. And most of them were short-haired folks.

Gvnagitlvgei
February 12th, 2010, 03:14 PM
I am not grossed out by either super long hair or very short hair or even someone who is bald. What I am grossed out by is anyone who literally has a horrible smell to them. I hate black, dirty fingernails and I am completely turned off by anyone that clearly didn't take a shower. Seriously, in my humble opinion everyone should take a shower every night or every morning and use deodorant, especially during the hot and sweaty summer months.

Thank you. There's nothing worse than being forced to work with people whose idea of hygiene doesn't include deodorant, esp. when they consume large amounts of spices, onions and garlic. I consume large amount of spices, onions and garlic...and I make sure to Mitchum hairless underarms daily. In fact, the only place I like body hair is above my eye and on my head. Elsewhere feels gross.

Sisko
February 12th, 2010, 03:40 PM
I'm surprised at how easily disgusted people are. Most of these things (hair in food, onions and garlic) don't phase me unless someone is an utter slob.

You found a hair in your food - so what? Pick it out of your food and carry on. Pff. :p Yes, I realise that it can be unpleasant due to the possibility of swallowing a hair, as well as being someone else's waste product :eyebrows:, but it happens.

What I do find disgusting is five layers of makeup, three layers of perfume and overly strong scents in general. To me, the more earthy, so called disgusting scents and sights, are easier to tolerate than their synthetic equivalent. Oddly, I'm very particular about my own hygiene and appreciate cleanliness, both personal and spatial, at all times.

The fingernails that have been brought up are tasteless more so than disgusting. :p

LoversLullaby
February 12th, 2010, 06:31 PM
My mom thinks long hair is gross and really isn't fond of the idea of me growing it out, but she says it's my hair and I can do whatever I want with it.
Besides that, I haven't really heard much bad talk about long hair from others IRL, but I also don't really talk about it too much around other people, besides my mom and my boyfriend. :D

GlassEyes
February 12th, 2010, 06:35 PM
The few, rare times I've been foolish enough to mention how long I want to grow my hair have resulted in awkward, and oftentimes, disgusted faces. But no one has actually vocalized anything to that tune.

barbararla
February 12th, 2010, 08:39 PM
Long hair is not gross! I seriously think that people say those things are really jealous because they have thin, damaged hair and can't grow it out long enough. There are many women out there that would love to have silky, strong long hair believe me. There are also men out there that would love to have gorgeous long hair but are bald. I really think that those 'gross' looks and comments stem from jealousy...

I can't wait till my hair gets long so I can braid it nicely and show it to the world.

Prism
February 12th, 2010, 10:19 PM
The point of the nails photo was to demonstrate that some of us have an instantaneous reaction that doesn't involve thinking. I wasn't the only one who saw it and immediately recoiled. There was no thought given to whether it was dirty or not. It just immediately grossed me out. That reaction wasn't lessened by reading that she can drive, care for her husband, etc. with the nails. The reaction wasn't something I could control, and no, it wasn't "criticism" for someone's choice being different from mine.

I'm not sure we can fault people for their innate reactions, and I really don't think they're all out of jealousy (some are!). I certainly am not jealous of the very long nails that woman has. My recoiling isn't because I think it's dirty or whatever. It's just something built in. I think it must be like this for some people with hair.

Regardless, do we really care what people think? If somebody thinks long hair is gross just because that's they're preference, it doesn't affect us. If they think it's gross because they have some misunderstanding about hair being dirty, then it's still their issue. I just don't think it's fair to label all of them as uneducated, jealous, etc. People are too diverse for it to be that simple. If/when they say something to me, then I might care and might (or might not) respond, but before then it's just their opinion. Why does it matter?

Syaoransbear
February 12th, 2010, 10:45 PM
I think a lot of it is instinctual. A few hundred thousand years ago hair down to your ankles would be seen as an abnormality. The wear and tear your hair would get from surviving would automatically trim it, and the only way for it to get that long would be if it was growing at an abnormally fast speed. That can sometimes mean disease, or undesirable genes since hair growing that fast would exhaust nutrition supplies and be cumbersome(there weren't hair sticks back then!). Same thing with nails.

Jordan S.
February 12th, 2010, 10:45 PM
as long as you keep it clean.

Bene
February 13th, 2010, 03:27 AM
I posted this little rant in another thread, but I think it's appropriate here:


I figure that anyone with floor length and beyond hair would just keep it up and out of the way, so I can't see how it would be dirty. I'm almost convinced that people who think long hair is dirty are just dirty people. THEY don't move their hair aside or think that washing it is a hassle, so they imagine that everyone else is just as dirty as they are. Hence the comments about how long hair has poo in it.


Aside from the hygiene issue, there's the safety issue. You don't really want to have that kind of length down near a steam roller or a street cleaner or something :bigeyes:

curlycrown
February 13th, 2010, 10:15 AM
I posted this little rant in another thread, but I think it's appropriate here:


I figure that anyone with floor length and beyond hair would just keep it up and out of the way, so I can't see how it would be dirty. I'm almost convinced that people who think long hair is dirty are just dirty people. THEY don't move their hair aside or think that washing it is a hassle, so they imagine that everyone else is just as dirty as they are. Hence the comments about how long hair has poo in it.


Aside from the hygiene issue, there's the safety issue. You don't really want to have that kind of length down near a steam roller or a street cleaner or something :bigeyes:

ROFL! I just got this visual in my head and I cant stop laughing. Im sorry but this is too funny.

fae
February 13th, 2010, 12:04 PM
I think that the instinctual reactions are somewhat based on cultural and societal standards.

I haven't looked at the nails picture, but I can pretty much bet that some of the reaction is due to the fact that people just don't usually have nails that long. Same with hair. I have a friend who owns a salon and when I look in her hairstyles book, the "long hair" stuff doesn't usually go past the shoulder blades. While we here wouldn't think this is long, a lot of people would. Especially those trained to keep hair to some cultural definition of "normal".

Just my opinion thought.

chopandchange
February 13th, 2010, 01:34 PM
To be perfectly honest, I used to think hair beyond a certain length was "gross," until my perception of it was altered by seeing it so often in the pics here on LHC and reading people's reactions to it. Now I think it is beautiful.

The way we perceive things is often very influenced by what others are saying about it. If we all visited an anti-long hair forum every day, where people were posting pictures of long hair and making comments like: "eww, that's so gross - her hair must be so dirty - she needs to cut it, etc, etc" then we might unconsiously take those opinions on board as our own, and perceive long hair in a different way. But here we all share pictures of our long hair and are in a virtual environment where everyone sees it as beautiful and something to aspire to. It rubs off on you.

To sum up: what you think or feel about something is HUGELY influenced by the family and culture you have grown up in. A lot of our opinions are not our own, although we like to think they are, and may feel passionately about them.

nowxisxforever
February 13th, 2010, 02:52 PM
Never had the gross thing with hair personally but I have heard it a lot from people. Especially regarding hair in food!

I really don't get the 'eeew' factor of hair in food *shrugs* just pick it out. Saying that I'm really relaxed about a lot of things, like sharing hairbrushes etc. It's not like you're gonna die from the odd germ and I think you make yourself more sick worrying bout it.

I'm the same. It really doesn't bother me. I might make a face while I remove it, but you know what? It happens. It's hair. I've touched doorknobs and things in public restrooms without cringing, why would I freak out about a hair that's PROBABLY been washed in the last couple days-- way more frequently than most doorknobs?!

ravenreed
February 13th, 2010, 03:01 PM
I do not agree. I keep my hands EXTREMELY clean, but when I see the photo of the woman with long nails, I still get the heebee jeebies. It has nothing to do with my own personal cleanliness.



I posted this little rant in another thread, but I think it's appropriate here:


I figure that anyone with floor length and beyond hair would just keep it up and out of the way, so I can't see how it would be dirty. I'm almost convinced that people who think long hair is dirty are just dirty people. THEY don't move their hair aside or think that washing it is a hassle, so they imagine that everyone else is just as dirty as they are. Hence the comments about how long hair has poo in it.


Aside from the hygiene issue, there's the safety issue. You don't really want to have that kind of length down near a steam roller or a street cleaner or something :bigeyes:

Melisande
February 13th, 2010, 04:20 PM
I must be gross. It doesn't bother me when I find a hair in my food. I don't think body hair gross and disgusting, and natural smells don't make me retch. And I think that people who are disgusted by every little reminder of the fact that we all spend our lives in human bodies that age, sweat, grow hairs and warts and earwax and have all kind of other functions... I think these people probably miss some fun. ;-)

Ravenne
February 14th, 2010, 03:12 AM
A few weeks ago, I was talking to my roommate about hair stuff. She mentioned that she was getting her hair cut the next day. She said "I don't want it too much longer. People would think there's something wrong with me." (Her hair was barely at BSL) After that comment I mentioned I was gonna grow mine down to my waist or longer and she got a disgusted look on her face and was said "Ew. Way too long.":shrug: Guess I'm not getting any hair support from that corner. Oh well. At least my boyfriend's supportive... as long as I leave it loose occasionally. Lol.

WyrdWay
February 14th, 2010, 08:31 AM
I must be gross. It doesn't bother me when I find a hair in my food. I don't think body hair gross and disgusting, and natural smells don't make me retch. And I think that people who are disgusted by every little reminder of the fact that we all spend our lives in human bodies that age, sweat, grow hairs and warts and earwax and have all kind of other functions... I think these people probably miss some fun. ;-)


Hair in food doesn't gross me out either, unless it was like a hairball of hair v_v.
It maybe hard to disregard someones opinions sometimes but it really is necessary when it interferes with your wants and desires, and free speech. (in regard with personal expression, excluding illegal activities.) I love long hair, and I really can't understand silly prejudices some people hold. I've seen them else where and that is why I spend most of my time here.
<3<3 TLHC

Prism
February 14th, 2010, 09:17 AM
I posted this little rant in another thread, but I think it's appropriate here:


I figure that anyone with floor length and beyond hair would just keep it up and out of the way, so I can't see how it would be dirty. I'm almost convinced that people who think long hair is dirty are just dirty people. THEY don't move their hair aside or think that washing it is a hassle, so they imagine that everyone else is just as dirty as they are. Hence the comments about how long hair has poo in it.


Aside from the hygiene issue, there's the safety issue. You don't really want to have that kind of length down near a steam roller or a street cleaner or something :bigeyes:

I disagree with this as well. I have clean nails but find ultra-long nails immediately repulsive. As others have mentioned, this is probably instinctual. I don't think it's fair to make those kinds of assumptions about people.

Regarding hair in food, I bet I've eat more CAT hair from my cat than anything. But that goes along with the crazy cat lady thing. I do like granola, too. :)

Forever_Sophie
February 14th, 2010, 09:42 AM
I read that often on another site...yet none ever say what they think is "gross" about it.

Being a total germaphobe, I can't imagine having a length I can sit on (tests shown on The Today Show roused this phobia). Even now, I hate having my hair touch the backs of chairs, etc. And being petted - oy vey!

Dragon
September 15th, 2010, 06:27 AM
My Dad thinks hair is gross at any length and thinks you should never touch any ones hair because of that. I dont think it is. The only time I find hair gross is when its in food or kept uncleaned. Also new an ex hair dresser who thinks hair is gross to an extent. She wouldent keep her husbands plat when she cut

Jezerellica
September 15th, 2010, 07:37 AM
I have to say, as much as I love long hair, I had a co-worker who would walk in, each day and I could smell what she had for dinner the night before if she had not washed her hair. Italian, Chinese, etc.

I am not a crazy person either. Now, I have not spoke of this until now. I took it as a reminder to myself to keep my hair back when I was eating or cooking and not touch my hair unless it is with clean hands.

itheleniel
September 15th, 2010, 07:38 AM
I think long hair is gorgeous. Difficult yes ;-), but gorgeous all the same. I get so many comments from these two girls on our street who keep saying (when I leave my hair down) 'ew you need a hair cut.'. I won't blame peoples for having a reaction (I have a 'ew' reaction to long fingernails, but I won't say anyting), but they could keep their mouth shut and try not to make facial expressions. Sometimes, I think that when short haired people make negative comments, they are just jealous.

As for long hair being gross, their are more germs on a germ-x bottle than on a toilet, and there are definietly more germs on a toilet than on long hair.

Of the guys that I know, most of them find long hair 'cool'. They seem to think it makes an excellent weapon (braid it and put a knife in the end), or (when I put it in a bun) it makes a good dagger/arrow/knife holder. *shrug*

Long live Long hair!

Igor
September 15th, 2010, 07:56 AM
The unfortunate truth is that a lot of people have long hair because they don’t care for it. The “long hair is gross” attitude can be based on simple experience!

enfys
September 15th, 2010, 09:37 AM
I read that often on another site...yet none ever say what they think is "gross" about it.

Being a total germaphobe, I can't imagine having a length I can sit on (tests shown on The Today Show roused this phobia). Even now, I hate having my hair touch the backs of chairs, etc. And being petted - oy vey!

I'd be interested to know more about what these tests were?

I don't see what's wrong with having hair you can sit/walk on. Just because you can doesn't mean you have to. My (perma-bunned) hair only gets to touch the backs of my chairs rarely; certainly not public ones!

Hair in food is totally gross, struggle even if I know whose hair it was. Luckily, mine is tied back when I cook and DH's is too short to detect in food :p

I've seen a lot of gross hair in my time, and I've never found a link to length or texture or race or anything. But sometimes, when you're sat behind someone on a bus you just want to start scratching your own hair when you see it...

May
September 15th, 2010, 11:46 AM
I am not grossed out by either super long hair or very short hair or even someone who is bald. What I am grossed out by is anyone who literally has a horrible smell to them. I hate black, dirty fingernails and I am completely turned off by anyone that clearly didn't take a shower. Seriously, in my humble opinion everyone should take a shower every night or every morning and use deodorant, especially during the hot and sweaty summer months.

I agree with you. I think some people get used to their own 'smell' and don't even realize that they do, indeed, smell. Deodorant is good thing :)

aenflex
September 15th, 2010, 11:54 AM
In my ole book there is Gross Hair, and Non-Gross Hair, Damaged Hair and Healthy Hair. Personally I don't see that length is exclusive in any of these categories :) I've seen some nasty short hair, and I'm betting we've all seen that picture of the 30 inch single hair dreadlock that floats around the web. As long as it's clean, it doesn't bother me at all. I do worry about lice, though. No one wants lice :0

Charlotte:)
September 15th, 2010, 12:21 PM
People with short hair shed too, so I don't see what the problem is with that.

christine1989
September 15th, 2010, 12:22 PM
Even when I had waist length hair I never got any "long hair is gross" comments. Sure some people would say "you should cut your hair" (which I finally did...very short) but no one ever said long hair was gross. I think part of it is the fact that I live in Seattle where the "hippie look" is common and popular. It is not uncommon to see waist length dreadlocks or spiky pink mohawks so long hair isn't too controversial.

RitaPG
September 15th, 2010, 01:13 PM
Strange as this may seem, I used to be one of those people that think long hair is eww. My hair was always greasy no matter how much I washed it, and was very flaky at some point. I think many have scalp issues (dandruff, oily, etc) and people always associate it with dirty hair. Or at least that's how I used to see it.
About finding other people's hair (or mine) around the house, it doesn't bother me much. But then again I have a cat and a dog, you will always find pets hair all over the place. My brother says cat's fur in the food is extra fiber :rollin:

Atira
September 15th, 2010, 02:50 PM
Weird. I've always thought long hair was beautiful if cared for properly!

jeanniet
September 15th, 2010, 03:29 PM
My teenage boys have complained if they find one of my hairs in their food (not very often), but they'll pick food up off the kitchen floor and eat it. :rolleyes: I say if you'll eat food off the floor, you shouldn't be whining about hair! Anyway, with a long-haired dog and five cats, we're lucky if there isn't some kind of hair in every meal.

Unwashed hands gross me out a lot more than hair. At least hair stays on your head, more or less--hands touch *everything*! It's really shocking how many women will use a public restroom and not wash their hands...:agape:

Henrietta
September 15th, 2010, 05:25 PM
My friend hates when I toss my hair. "Eww, the dust and dirt is flying around."
Oh, excuse me, what dirt?
And there's more dust on her clothes than on my hair probably, as I brush and comb it more often than she launders her jeans.
When she tosses her hair everything is OK of course. It's mean and offensive. There's no dust on her hair then? It's not fair.
*sigh*

Hylia
September 15th, 2010, 06:11 PM
I find it bizarre people think long hair is gross. To me dry damaged hair is much grosser than long healthy hair. There are tons of people who straighten their hair everyday, dye it and it is completely fried. If anything, a nice head of hair shows how dedicated the person who is growing it is. It does takes a lot of patience and hard work to keep it long. My boyfriend has had long hair for about 6 years now and people will always make comments on how it looks bad, or they will go on about how they want to cut it. But he has the healthiest hair I have ever seen, I checked yesterday and I couldn`t find one split end.

JulietCapulet
September 15th, 2010, 08:22 PM
Personally if hair looks clean, no matter how long I think its gorgeous. If hair looks dirty short or long, then I don't like it as much. It's not really about the length so much.

When this one friend I have told me I should cut my hair shorter I just all of a sudden never wanted to see her again, I was so irritated by it.

I think people are just confused by a lot of hair...so you just kind of have to ignore them because its none of their concern.

JulietCapulet
September 15th, 2010, 08:29 PM
Oh and another thing is...a lot of Barbie dolls have really super long hair...so why would it be strange for little girls to grow up wanting hair like that?

http://www.lofftaptoys.com/wp-content/uploads/wpsc/product_images/Hollywood&#37;20Hair%20Barbie%20front.jpg

RachelRain
September 15th, 2010, 08:37 PM
I look at it as people are entitled to their opinions and phobias. I personally know someone with a wicked phobia of hair (any hair, but especially long) - the only reason she lets me in her house is because she's my cousin, and she's my boyfriend's best friend. Plus some people can't understand the logistics behind it (the whole OMG your water/shampoo/conditioner/whatever bill), some people think girls with long hair get obsessed with it (to an extent, they're probably right, at first, but once you learn updos you don't need to be obsessed and constantly brushing your hair)...

etc, etc. I don't let other people's quirks bother me. Someone thinks my hair is gross, or weird, or whatever? Great. I heard your opinion, now feel free to walk away or look away and your problem is solved, yes? Nobody said you had to stand there staring at my hair. :shrug:

JamieLeigh
September 20th, 2010, 10:26 AM
I guess I have just never paid attention, because I can't honestly remember ever running across anyone in real life who thinks this way (or maybe Alabama is just that awesome :cool: riiiiight.... lol), but I have heard from folks on the net who think short hair is "cleaner".

I'm sorry, but short hair sheds out into people's food just the same as long hair...only they don't notice it so they probably just swallow it down. Pulling someone's hair out of your mouth in a long string just seems more gross because you are unaware of the other, but now that you're thinking about it, it seems just as gross, right? :p

Ludde
November 27th, 2010, 10:00 AM
I never met the idea that people could find long knotted hair supergross until I became a member of the LHC.

triumphator!
November 27th, 2010, 11:04 AM
I will give you this: long, scraggly, stringy hair that has been bleached within an inch of its life and looks like it could break off at any moment-- and this is describing a girl in my high school -- grosses me out. Why keep such damaged, unhealthy, sad looking hair that looks like the slightest movement could snap it? Cut it off!

I know that's pretty judgemental, but maybe it makes her happy regardless............................?

mariika
November 27th, 2010, 11:36 AM
I don't understand the question - LONG hair on furniture and in food grosses people out? and SHORT hair doesn't?

DARKMARTIAN
November 27th, 2010, 11:48 AM
I don't understand the question - LONG hair on furniture and in food grosses people out? and SHORT hair doesn't?

We should forget the six inch subs and regular hotdogs........and go for the footlongs ......at least.....

I wonder if they make APL buns..? :o