At the salon -- I could smell the burn...

[Speckla]

as I was walking in. I smelled burning hair and knew someone was getting their hair straightened with an iron. Has my nose become more sensitive to the smell since I haven't straightened in nearly 3 years?

I cringe now whenever I take my son to get his hair cut. I can't stand the chemical smells and the smell of burnt hair. I never noticed this before going natural and just letting my hair grow.

A woman was getting her hair blown out with a metal bristle round brush and blowdryer. I noticed the breakage and ragged ends...the end result looked good with a lot of products but her naked hair wasn't too healthy looking. I know people can do what they want with their hair but it was further proof to reinforce my personal anti-straighening feelings.

[Dreams_in_Pink]

i know that smell very well- i used to straighten my hair every week after shower :D that smell does not make me cringe though. I can straighten my hair again for a special occasion.

i'm glad people there did not attack your hair, saying things like "ouch!! your hair looks TERRIBLE!! and you need some highlights!!" :D

[guccixx]

I know exactly what you are talking about. It's not pleasant and I always notice it when my girlfriends and I get ready together and they iron their hair. I've even seen my girlfriend iron her hair damp because "the steam gets it straighter." shudder:

Also the salon smell of chemicals gets to me. Ughhh.

[kwaniesiam]

Eek, ironing wet hair makes me cringe but usually the "smoke" you see coming off of flat irons is just product on the hair being heated. Burnt hair is something all together different and is irreversible damage wise. It may not be to most LHC standards but occasional heat styling isn't that harmful.

[Lamb]

Burning hair bothers me much less than hairspray and all those nasty fumes from mousse, dyes, and bleach. I can smell them whenever I walk past a salon, and they make me gag. :puke: How stylists can work in those poorly ventillated gas-chambers is beyond me.

[sibiryachka]

The microscope images of heat-damaged hair in this article

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=79

literally made me a little queasy. I can't imagine ever subjecting my hair to that again. The moisture inside the shaft actually starts to boil?! *shudder*

[Syaoransbear]

I've started leaving the salon with wet hair, because I can't stand it when I can see the STEAM coming out of my hair when it's DRY.

[zeldagirl7491]

I know that smell of the straightener very well. Both of my sisters use it regularly and mostly everyone in our house uses the blow dryer (except me and of course dad/brothers).

[rchorr]

Between the smell of hair burning thermically, and the smell of it burning chemically (perms STINK!) it would be an awful place to work! I can't imagine smelling that all day.

Of course, I'm sensitive to smells. I could never work in a perfume shop or scented candle shop, either.

RCHORR'

[Bellalalala]

lol,

I worked in a research facility with over 2000 rats and mice.
You can get used to any smell doing what you love.

However, yes, when the process horrifies you, the smell seems unbearable

[contradiction]

Burning hair bothers me much less than hairspray and all those nasty fumes from mousse, dyes, and bleach. I can smell them whenever I walk past a salon, and they make me gag. :puke: How stylists can work in those poorly ventillated gas-chambers is beyond me.


Hair salons are not comparable to gas chambers.

[christine1989]

That is my second least favorite smell (right after fish!) I used to straighten my hair when damp and the steam would burn the ends and make them like burnt straw! Never again....never again!

[C_Bookworm]

I know what you mean. I hated the smell of henna when i first switched, but now i rather like the grassy smell, but salons smell disgusting to me. Chemical hair color just smells like rotten eggs to me now

[Tyrinaniel]

Every time someone teases hair, God kills a kitten.

Okay, that's what I'd like to think. When I look up hair videos I always see some that use loads of hairspray or curl with an iron. I cringe every single time.

[BrightEyes]

Burning hair bothers me much less than hairspray and all those nasty fumes from mousse, dyes, and bleach. I can smell them whenever I walk past a salon, and they make me gag. :puke: How stylists can work in those poorly ventillated gas-chambers is beyond me.

I've worked in salons for quite awhile and I've survived just fine. I think "poorly ventillated gas-chambers" is a little extreme.

[kwaniesiam]

I've worked in salons for quite awhile and I've survived just fine. I think "poorly ventillated gas-chambers" is a little extreme.

I agree, while I know a lot of typical salon practices are not what most LHCers would do to their hair there is no reason to blatantly bash those methods. Not everyone wants to grow long, healthy hair. Some of us are/are learning to make a living off of how the majority of the population does their hair as well.

[BrightEyes]

I agree, while I know a lot of typical salon practices are not what most LHCers would do to their hair there is no reason to blatantly bash those methods. Not everyone wants to grow long, healthy hair. Some of us are/are learning to make a living off of how the majority of the population does their hair as well.


Kwaniesiam, thank you, thank you, thank you! You spoke my thoughts so perfectly. Come on people....be a little nice to all of us poor hairstylists here.

[Tyrinaniel]

If you're going to be on the LHC, you do need to realize that the majority here find what most salons do are basically exploiting the general public's lack of hair care education. It may not be the case with you, and that's cool, but they're not hating on you, just what the chemicals and practices do. So please don't take it personally. One woman feels her hair was destroyed because of the methods used, and she has a right to feel that way. Sure, they need to give you a break, but give them a break too. In the end both are judging the other.

[guccixx]

I understand hairstylists trying to make a living - no disrespect at all! I just think the smells of chemicals are pretty foul and I honestly feel bad that you all have to suffer through it on a regular basis. Also, if I kept my hair shorter then I would definitely go to the salon to get it cut, dyed, curled, styled etc. Because I wouldn't be worrying about growing long & healthy hair. Plus IMO shorter hair (up to BSL) looks way better styled with layers and the like but like I said my hair's not short so I prefer a blunt look.

As for the lack of hair education, I think most people know general things about hair - not to the same extent that everyone does here - like nobody thinks a perm will make your hair less damaged, you know what I mean? I had my hair japanese straightened when I was overseas a few years ago and they literally put solution in and straightened it (wet) six times in a row for it to work. I knew it was bad for my hair so I wasn't surprised when my hair turned brittle and felt like wire months later. Stupid me, my hair's straight already but I wanted to wake up and not deal with flyaways/flipped ends!

[rogue_psyche]

As someone who is trying to get long both as quickly and as healthy as I can, I can totally understand the horror of the burned hair smell. I disliked it before LHC, and would watch the stylists at a salon that smelled like burnt hair and prayed I wouldn't get the one responsible for that smell. I think that I only have smelled it at places like Super Cuts and Fantastic Sams, but not at my hairstylist relation's salon, or at the beauty college I've gone to a few times.

LHC has only cemented my belief that the less heat styling the better and I won't even enter a salon if it smells like burnt hair unless I know my stylist is not the one causing the smell. Just like with any other profession, there are stylists who do their job well and there are stylists who for whatever reason, do it not so well. I agree that would be unlikely for a hairstylist to make a good living without using heat on their clients. However, using so much heat that the hair steams or smokes, or if burning smell or sizzling noise occurs is irrefutably damaging to hair and is the sign of a bad hairstylist, at least as far the styling aspect of his or her job goes.

[Bonkers57]

Is there a barber anywhere near you? You could take your son there and avoid the chemical smells.


as I was walking in. I smelled burning hair and knew someone was getting their hair straightened with an iron. Has my nose become more sensitive to the smell since I haven't straightened in nearly 3 years?

I cringe now whenever I take my son to get his hair cut. I can't stand the chemical smells and the smell of burnt hair. I never noticed this before going natural and just letting my hair grow.

A woman was getting her hair blown out with a metal bristle round brush and blowdryer. I noticed the breakage and ragged ends...the end result looked good with a lot of products but her naked hair wasn't too healthy looking. I know people can do what they want with their hair but it was further proof to reinforce my personal anti-straighening feelings.

[prosperina]

About burnt hair smell: A few weeks back when I attempted to vaccum :lol: my carpet, I had to stop, turn off the vaccum and flip it upside down to cut the hair--my hair--out of the roller thing. It took me a while to pinpoint the smell, then I all of sudden I exclaimed "it smells like salon!" And it did. It smelled exactly like salon. It took me a while to realize that that smell wasn't chemical processes: like perms, straightener, dye, or hair spray, but burnt hair. My office and bedroom--the only rooms with carpet smelled like this for at least two days. I'm not super sensitive to smells, and it bothered me. :shrug:

[blondecat]

Kwaniesiam, thank you, thank you, thank you! You spoke my thoughts so perfectly. Come on people....be a little nice to all of us poor hairstylists here.

I love my hairdresser. It's a long hard sometimes filthy job and I feel for both of you.

[halo_tightens]

I just happen to live above a small hair salon, so I'm very used to the smells that waft up from below! It's strongest in my bathroom, especially if I open the door to the tiny closet where the hot water heater is.

I've actually become kind of fond of it, lol! I'll come home from work and think to myself, "Oh, somebody's getting a perm today!" or "Jeez, easy with the hairspray!" :D

I have yet to smell burnt hair coming from downstairs, thank goodness. Now that would bother me.

[BrightEyes]

I love my hairdresser. It's a long hard sometimes filthy job and I feel for both of you.

Thanks! It is sometimes a hard job, but I would never say it's filthy (unless it was my turn to clean the restroom in the salon;)).

I guess as someone previously said, over time I've gotten used to the smells and I am actually going to go a bit further and say that I LIKE them!! Yep, I like the salon smells. I'm not talking about "burning" hair (which in my experience working in the salon is actually very rare). But I do like the smell of color, product, and even perms and nails. They are familiar to me after doing them for so long.

I do believe that there are stylists out there who were not trained correctly or have not yet gained a lot of experience. Fortunately I have a hairstylist that I love and my visits to her I times I enjoy (and I get a break for myself). But there are many stylists out there who do amazing work. I try to do the best work I can for my clients. That's all I can do.

[kwaniesiam]

Thanks! It is sometimes a hard job, but I would never say it's filthy (unless it was my turn to clean the restroom in the salon;)).

I guess as someone previously said, over time I've gotten used to the smells and I am actually going to go a bit further and say that I LIKE them!! Yep, I like the salon smells. I'm not talking about "burning" hair (which in my experience working in the salon is actually very rare). But I do like the smell of color, product, and even perms and nails. They are familiar to me after doing them for so long.

I do believe that there are stylists out there who were not trained correctly or have not yet gained a lot of experience. Fortunately I have a hairstylist that I love and my visits to her I times I enjoy (and I get a break for myself). But there are many stylists out there who do amazing work. I try to do the best work I can for my clients. That's all I can do.

Amen, though I don't think I'll ever grow to like the smell of color, I have gotten used to it.

You can usually tell what stylists don't enjoy what they're doing or are certain of their abilities. I've noticed the ones that ask you every step of the way want to make sure you're both happy with the outcome. The bad cuts I've had in my lifetime were from people who rushed through it and didn't ask me after doing something if I liked it or not, they just proceeded on.

[blondecat]

Thanks! It is sometimes a hard job, but I would never say it's filthy (unless it was my turn to clean the restroom in the salon;)).

I guess as someone previously said, over time I've gotten used to the smells and I am actually going to go a bit further and say that I LIKE them!! Yep, I like the salon smells. I'm not talking about "burning" hair (which in my experience working in the salon is actually very rare). But I do like the smell of color, product, and even perms and nails. They are familiar to me after doing them for so long.

I do believe that there are stylists out there who were not trained correctly or have not yet gained a lot of experience. Fortunately I have a hairstylist that I love and my visits to her I times I enjoy (and I get a break for myself). But there are many stylists out there who do amazing work. I try to do the best work I can for my clients. That's all I can do.

I was thinking of greasy hair, Nits, dandruff, having to peirce ears.................... Don't get me onto the topic of Nails Ewww

[ericthegreat]

Amen, though I don't think I'll ever grow to like the smell of color, I have gotten used to it.

You can usually tell what stylists don't enjoy what they're doing or are certain of their abilities. I've noticed the ones that ask you every step of the way want to make sure you're both happy with the outcome. The bad cuts I've had in my lifetime were from people who rushed through it and didn't ask me after doing something if I liked it or not, they just proceeded on.

Who I really dislike are the stylists who literally exude this attitude that they know better than you do what you want to look like. It doesn't matter if you don't want 6 inches cut off and layers cut in, because since "they know better than you" they will go right on ahead and chop off 6 inches and cut in those layers. In fact, in one of the old salons I worked at, you know what the senior stylist taught me? He told me to NOT ask any more questions once the client is in the chair! His attitude was, "I'm going to give you the "right" for you."

I too have found that the good hairstylists are the ones that actually listen to what their clients say and will try their best to give them what they want. Because in the end, I would rather have a very happy client who walks out with just a modest change, than an unhappy client with a "stylish new chop and color".