Getting a haircut, joyful or painful experience?

[Phalaenopsis]

So I finally made an appointment to trim an inch off. I'm actually a bit nervous and now I wondered how others experience this. I used to love it, being pampered and feeling great and refreshed when I came ouf of the salon. Now, I'm scared my hair will be mistreated too hard or the hairdresser will cut too much. So no relaxation and pampering for me anymore. But I don't know how this hairdresser will be, so maybe the next time I will be able to enjoy it :)
But then you still have 'the pain' when you lost some length for instance. It's painful for me because I was finally almost at BSL and now it will take longer.

Anyway, how do you experience getting a haircut? :flower:

[purplebubba]

It was always better for me when it was my decision to go get it cut versus going because I was told to.

I am a male and I have long hair because I do not want short hair.

I went to salons plenty of times since I turned 18 and just had trims. I was not really concerned with the amount trimmed as long as they didn't hack me without permission. I always walked in and said 1/2" trim. It always seemed like they did that or close enough. I tried lots of different salons and stylists.

Yes I was always nervous walking into or near a salon with long hair. I had it in my mind that they were thinking they'd love to chop it.

I have not had someone else trim my hair since 2001. In 2004 I started using Feye's method
http://community.livejournal.com/feyeselftrim/

[spidermom]

I like it. Like purplebubba I've walked into a lot of different salons over the years to have cuts/trims. Only a couple of experiences were bad. I'm pretty relaxed about it.

[harley mama]

It is always painful to me. I have never enjoyed having someone else wash/cut/style my hair.
It feels invasive and tense. I don't know why. Maybe it is all the bad hair cuts over the years
that made me gun shy! I know there are good stylists out there but, I have been had the good
fortune to find one.;)

[wolf girl]

:couch: I only go once a year to get my ends straightened. I always pray that I don't get someone who gets :scissors: happy or that doesn't know how to measure .5" :pray:

[Silver Strands]

I always wash and condition my hair before I go and
tell them I just want "X amount" cut off.

Don't say, "I don't know" on how much to cut.
They'll decide for you. Be specific.

I have never had a problem with someone going overboard
since i've been an adult.

And I view it as a necessity at times.
Neither joyful or painful.

[Tabitha]

I'm going for one in a few days. My hairdresser is a cool guy, and works quickly, and always gives me a good result. However, I find the juniors always too rough with washing and combing my hair now it's so long, and I don't feel terribly comfortable in the posh London salon I go to - the sort where they ask you if you would like a manicure (so I always paint my own nails just before I go, in the hope that they won't ask me. Yes I'm a wuss).

[bte]

I have hated it ever since I can remember. The last time I went to a salon was 39 years ago when I was 14, and after that I refused to go. I gave up trims entirely in 1994. So, painful to extremely painful would sum up my feelings.

[Phalaenopsis]

It is always painful to me. I have never enjoyed having someone else wash/cut/style my hair.
It feels invasive and tense. I don't know why. Maybe it is all the bad hair cuts over the years
that made me gun shy! I know there are good stylists out there but, I have been had the good
fortune to find one.;)

Yes, I'm particularly scared for how she will wash and comb my hair. Most of them start at the roots and just pull through my hair, very scary to see, especially when your hair is wet and vulnerable. :bigeyes:
If the hairdresser does that next week, I think I will say: carefull I'm tenderheaded or something, so she will be careful with detangling my hair.

[Siava]

I'm very fortunate to have a great hairdresser I completely trust so trims aren't traumatic.

[Carolyn]

It's not a fun experience for me. It never has been. I don't get it when people say they feel "pampered" :confused: To me it's maintenance, like my yearly female physical or getting my teeth cleaned. I go to a salon for my high lights and color because I can't do it at home. I have a friend trim my hair now. Before she started doing my trims I went to our local Walmart salon and got my hair trimmed. I always went to the same stylist. I went in with clean, well combed hair. I asked if she did dry trims before I had her trim it the first time. It was quick and I was out of there in 15 minutes. I have found what I need to do to make what I need to have done as quick and painless as possible. The GM salon I go to once a year is better but my butt still hurts from the uncomfortable chairs :p but I have company and that's the fun part.

[BlondeAngela]

I love going to the beauty salon, but I only on occasion get my long blonde hair trimmed.

I go to the beauty salon to get my long blonde tresses deep-conditioned, a facial, a massage, my nails done, sometimes my makeup professionally applied, etc..
I love the ladies at my beauty salon, and enjoy the atmosphere of being there.
Only once or twice a year have I been getting my long hair trimmed, in a straight across blunt cut. My long, silky, straigt, blonde hair is 3/4s of the way down my back these days.

[Magicknthenight]

Well last time i went i was so scared!:o
After a bunch of bad experiences just sitting there waiting made my heart race.
The last bad experience i had the lady kept trying to get me to cut off a few inches when i wanted..at most..a half an inch.:mad:
but i didnt give in and demanded just a half an inch.(if that) and the lady was obivsly angry! she TORE through my hair. I would of left but my nana was already in a bad mood i didnt want her taking it out on me.
So this time i went in...hair up in a bun (just in case)..as i said my heart was pounding i could hear it! Then...the lady called me back..*Dun dun dun*
and she was great!!!! She complimented me on my hair and told me about how she used to have longer hair. And she listened to me completely! I told her i had been nervous about the last time and she said shes had bad experieces too! she said she had long hair and she asked for a little off and ended up with inches cut off! Anyway she listened and cut my hair just the right amount. (Even my bangs!):cheese: Most hairstylists cut them way too short but she took in the fact that she had wetted my hair and how it would look different when dry. I was really surprized! It has restored my faith in hairstylists! (some any..still kinda scary). It was my first time going to great clips. (always went to fantastic sam) i usially just go if i see a lot of splits...maybe once a year. I haven't had my hair washed at a salon in a long time though which is fine i dont mind washing it before i go because it doesnt take as much time. I just wish i could remember the ladies name...next time i want a trim..i'll defently go back there! :D

[k_hepburn]

So I finally made an appointment to trim an inch off. I'm actually a bit nervous and now I wondered how others experience this. I used to love it, being pampered and feeling great and refreshed when I came ouf of the salon. Now, I'm scared my hair will be mistreated too hard or the hairdresser will cut too much. So no relaxation and pampering for me anymore. But I don't know how this hairdresser will be, so maybe the next time I will be able to enjoy it :)
But then you still have 'the pain' when you lost some length for instance. It's painful for me because I was finally almost at BSL and now it will take longer.

Anyway, how do you experience getting a haircut? :flower:

Phalaenopsis, you've pretty much summed up how I feel about getting a haircut these days. And I really miss enjoying the relaxation and pampering, as I used to. :(

katharine

[Curlsgirl]

I don't like it anymore and I trim using Feye's method. I did go for highlights last time though and I just told her flat out I am funny about my hair and I didn't want her ripping a comb or brush through it. I detangled thoroughly myself before so that made it much easier. If she started to do it too hard when coming after washing the color out I said I am very tender headed which I am. She then was careful to ask if it hurt. I said, you will know if you do it too rough because I will scream. I also told her that I had had terrible experiences with stylist that ripped through my hair and since she didn't want to be one too that helped I think. It was a good experience but I still don't like going. I used to love it before I realized what rough handling can do to long hair :shudder: Now I get VERY nervous.

[Loreyanne_H]

I hate other people's hands on my hair. It's impossible for me to be relaxed in a hair salon, I've decided to renonce forever and I simply ask mum for trims, because the Feye's method is still too difficult for me.

[Jorchet]

I feel much better about cutting my hair now because I do it myself. I do crave for a proper haircut, but a) I can't find where to have a curl-friendly haircut and b) I'd be terrified if I did find one! lol:p

[Riot Crrl]

I've never had one of those experiences where they cut too much off. I have always been happy with the results of my trims.

However I HATE the combing. Arrgh. I don't give a crap if it hurts, I care that my hair is breaking. Attn: stylists.

[KnightsLady]

The "before" feelings were more along the line of it being a necessity. The "during" were all anxiety and revulsion. (I don't like someone else pulling on my hair. Especially dislike the washing part. Why do hairdressers all seem to have long nails that they like scraping against their clients scalp in a strange attempt to "massage"??) The "after" was almost always relief and pure joy to get out of there. With a good hairdresser, I'd also be feeling pleased with the cut, but only after leaving. Overall, similar to going to the dentist.

I'm another Feye method convert.

[Fencai]

doesnt bother me in the least.
I dont go often, but i go in, and tell them it needs to be quick, and im in and out before I notice!

[paper]

I love it. I trust my hairdresser 100%. I always feel better after my bangs are trimmed and I know I'm getting closer to getting all my layers cut off.

[Medievalhair]

I love it. But only when my hairdresser washes my hair.
But I only go to my hairdresser once every 5-6 months. And she makes the trip well worth it.

[Alva]

I never go to a salon anymore but let my mom cut an amount off. Usually I tell her to trim half of what I would like, because she always trims a little too much. No matter how tiny the amount is that gets cut, it always makes me feel awkward, I simply dont like to get trims.

The last time I was in a salon it was about 2 years ago, for a from from tailbone to waist. The only comment I got was: Your hair is sooo long, why are you even having it that long. Then the hairdresser took a comb and went through it roughly ripping it apart. I myself usually can get through my few tangles quite easy, all I remember was her being very rough and not careful at all, I didnt like it a bit.

[Nevermore]

I hate salons and haircuts. I find them both physically and emotionally distressing, for so many reasons. I hate being touched in a way that isn't entirely my choice (that is, for them to cut my hair, they have to touch me; if I want someone else to cut my hair, I have to allow that contact) and I can practically hear the damage when they comb/wash it.

This is why I haven't gone to a hairdresser for a cut for about four years now, one and a half of those years have been spent with no trims, just S&D, and if I ever desired a trim, I'd either use the Feye's self trim instructions or have my partner trim for me.

[eadwine]

You can wash your hair at home before you go in and just have her use the plant spray to get the hair damp. All that washing over there is such nonsense AND waste of money.

Just comb it well when you get there and nothing much should be ripped ;)

[HairColoredHair]

Going to the salon is like going to the dentist or the doctor. I will do ANYTHING to avoid it. (And have, quite well, for many years now. Haircuts, I mean, not doctors/dentists.)

[Phalaenopsis]

I just want to tell you guys that my experience changed. I can relax a bit with this hairdresser. Okay, so she isn't superdupercareful with taking tangles out, but it's not like she is being really harsh. She asked, how much, I said, really nothing more than 2 centimetres. "Okay", she said and then magic happened :) Just out of the blue, she just cut one little piece of my hair, showed it too me: "is this okay?"
I nodded and smiled. I've found a good hairdresser :D

[RavenDream]

I love going. I go every 4 months and get about a 1/2 inch trimmed off. Everyone there makes it such a good experience. My stylist is so good about handling long hair, it amazes me as I'm her only long haired client that she's had since she started her career(she's only a couple years older than me). I get so many compliments from the staff there that it gets rid of that anxiety from sitting in the chair.

Best of all, she has a nice large jar of coconut oil ready and waiting to be used to detangle my hair.

[Oskimosa]

Yea I used to like going, I never really put much weight on whether my hair was long or not. That being said...

Last year, a few months before my wedding, I was going for just past BSL with side bangs and layers. I needed a trim. My hairdresser was booked, so I got stupidly impatient and went to JCPenney's.

I walked out with 4 inches *nearly squared mind you* chunked out of ONE SIDE of my length and didn't realize it till the next day because of my precious layers :steam!!! But i went back and got my money back, refused to let them "fix it" and got the ... damage controlled... by my beloved hairdresser. Ugh. It was barely back to BSL by my wedding...

Next, I moved out of the area and decided to go ahead and go short and donate my hair. Tried a place I heard something good about. The stylist was tacky and vulgar while cutting my hair and instead of the hip, choppy shoulder-length 'do I came in for--armed with pics-- she gave me a FREAKIN STACKED BOB which looks HORRIBLE on my super thick hair and round face!! :wail::steam:wail: Again, her manager fixed it to something cute, albiet about 3-5 inches shorter than what I wanted.

Next time I cut my hair, it will be someone I have befriended first and my hair will be past my goal. End of story. No more "one night stands" when it involves scissors.

[smilelads]

I would probably cry if someone cut my hair. Funny, because before I really disliked my long hair and would give myself little trims (Note to self and others: please do not attempt at home) :P
Perhaps in a year I might get the very ends trimmed but not until I'm ready!!

[Tangles]

I'm not quite sure why they always rip combs through hair and hold the blowdryer so close to the hair whilst snapping the cuticle with a bristly brush. Don't hairdressers know the basic fundamentals of protecting hair?

If you go to the dentist, do they give you candy and soda after cleaning your teeth? If you go in for a physical, do the nurses smoke cigarettes in the waiting room? No, of course not, because these are behaviors that are detrimental to the health of the body. So why do hairdressers get away with doing things that are clearly destructive to hair??? I realize that having some split ends isn't seen as a big deal, but it's YOUR hair. Geez. *ends rant*

[Riot Crrl]

I'm not quite sure why they always rip combs through hair and hold the blowdryer so close to the hair whilst snapping the cuticle with a bristly brush. Don't hairdressers know the basic fundamentals of protecting hair?

If you go to the dentist, do they give you candy and soda after cleaning your teeth? If you go in for a physical, do the nurses smoke cigarettes in the waiting room? No, of course not, because these are behaviors that are detrimental to the health of the body. So why do hairdressers get away with doing things that are clearly destructive to hair??? I realize that having some split ends isn't seen as a big deal, but it's YOUR hair. Geez. *ends rant*

I agree with the overall point, but if there was such a thing as a hair naturopath I'd be there right now.

A better analogy might be chefs. Psh, long term nutrition. It's supposed to taste good NOW.

[redcelticcurls]

I loooove going to the salon. But, I have a great guy there. He is supportive of my no shampooing and all that entails, and is excellent at cutting curly hair properly. I go every 10 weeks or so for color, and get trimmed once or twice a year right now. For my trims, I just let him take off what he sees as damage. If it's a half an inch or three inches, I feel comfortable letting him judge it.

I love having someone else wash my hair. It feels good.

My stylist is a curly so he knows how to detangle. :D He also encouraged me to grow it out when I had spent some time hanging out at shoulder length. He gets a kick out of seeing my current length with wet hair.

[freznow]

It was always awful for me. Mostly, all I can remember is my mom trimming it, and I was alway sad to see the length go but she never took much off, so it was pretty decent.

The only salon visit I can recollect is my last haircut. A little over two years ago, my dad took us in for a trim. The salon people were nice, and the person actually trimmed off less than my dad said. :D Still, it was about a palms length off, and the loss of hair was so shocking to me that I started to braid it every day so that my dad wouldn't have an excuse to have me cut my hair again. And that was the end of that!

So yeah... for me, the salon was nice, it's being forced to go there that's not so nice.

[Phalaenopsis]

When I was really young, my mother also forced me to go to the hairdresser, otherwise you would have never seen me there. I was really fond of my long hair and the hairdresser always took a good chunk of.
Luckily those days are over :)

[Finoriel]

When I still got haircuts at a salon it was more of a painful experience. Not because of bad haircuts, most times I had a really good stylist who did what I asked for :wink: . It was painful because it just is not fair that woman have to pay twice as much for a pixie-boyish cut as men have to do. So it was painfully eating a big hole into my budget back then.
That´s why I started to self trim over 10 years ago :)

(I should do some calculating and see how much money I saved with this. That should be really interesting :wink:)

[Darkhorse1]

I'm a lot less nervous with hair trims now, since my hair dresser has waist long hair herself.
A few things:
Define with your hairdresser what their idea of a trim is
Have them show you on their comb what an inch or so forth is
Have them show you how much they will trim before they start.

All of these have really helped me. Deep breath! You'll be ok!! :)

[LaurelSpring]

It has become too stressful for me. I always greive the cut. I thought I had found a hairdresser I could trust and at my last microtrim she cut way more than I wanted and I was upset. I am joining the no trim for now and see how that goes and otherwise plan on S&D or self trims.

[nissamholtz]

Its always a good to have a trim, and I always make sure we go out that evening, when I feel it looks the best.

[Ndnlady]

I am almost always nervous about getting trims! My last one was 6 months ago, but when I got into that chair I was nervous that the lady would chop like 3 inches off instead of the inch and a 1/2 that I wanted. However I was very firm with her that I am growing my hair long.
A few years ago, I had a bad experience where the person cutting my hair knew me and my family pretty well, so instead of cutting the inch off that I asked for she figured since she knew me she was going to make the decision to cut off 5 inches instead!:mad: That experience sticks with me every time!

[Saranne772]

PAINFUL! Even when I get my mother to do it. I just dont trust other people with scissors around my head.

[zanne]

Painless, Froglet or DBF trims my hair, and so i know i'm in good hands. DBF even gets into it a bit, and puts on his "stylist" personality.... we've both worked in salon/spa's for years (not as stylists), and he's amost always the only straight guy there... put a pair of scissors on his hands and out comes his inner queen...
p.s.~
Nobody ever tell him i said that;)

[xrosiex]

I love it! I found a local salon thats long hair friendly. My stylist know what I mean when I ask her to just dust my ends. She is very gental and I trust her with my hair.:)

[Alun]

I have had too much taken off more times than I can even remember. I have also had some good stylists who did what they were asked to, but you just can't tell unless you go to the same person all the time. i always ask for half the amount taken off that I want, as 90% of them cut off twice as much as you say, but every now and then you ask for 1/4 inch and they actually do it and surprise you. Rather than admit that I asked for 1/4 inch because I wanted 1/2 inch off I just pay up!

I haven't had a trim since 2004, and I figure I won't until it reaches beyond my goal (TB), if it ever gets there. Sometimes I can persuade a few strands to reach that far, but most of my hair is not anything like that long. What I mean specifically is that I don't envision getting a trim until it can be trimmed back to TB length from longer, which could take years as it is at my waist, or of course I actually mean a few bits of it are, LOL!

[Angharad]

A haircut from the hairdressers (very, very long time ago): not an enjoyable experience!

When my husband gives my hair a trim: enjoyable; he always cuts precisely what I ask him to!

[pink.sara]

Painful!
As a shortie trying to grow but growing out bleach damage and chemical colour my hairdresser wants to pixie me... again.

But I wont let her, jaw length bob is short enough to be growing with! :p

[Newniepg]

Painful. Not because I am attached to my length but because hairdressers seem insistent on talking to me whilst they are washing/cutting my hair. I also find it a bit uncomfortable due to the fact that I don't like to be touched by someone I don't know.

[melrose1985]

Before I started caring for my hair I went in ALL THE TIME for cuts and colors. I loved going to get things done.

Now that I’m growing my hair out and I don’t plan on trimming much, at least for now. So I’ll be having my mom do it for me. She normally does everyone’s hair in the family and one of the last times I asked for a trim I told her like 1/8” NO MORE… after she was done I looked at it and asked her “did you cut anything off? I think you should do a little more!”

I think as long as you show them how much you want, they should be fine… Good luck!

[Renbirde]

It really depends on the salon. The local one I go to has a few ladies that are really, really good at doing exactly what you tell them. ETA: The lady that trimmed my hair last time might be a member here... her hair looked familiar. It wasn't in one of those shaggy short styles that hairdressers seem so fond of, either. And she was really, really gentle. I don't know what she used on my hair, but whatever it was sure made my hair act nicely. /ETA

Other places, I'm a bit more nervous. I went into a Great Clips while I was traveling, and the first thing the girl said to me after I sat down was, *Cheerful voice* "Well! Are we taking it all off to day?" :run: I braved my fears though... and she did okay. Great big kudos to the girl for suppressing her scissor-happy tendencies. She took off the amount I wanted (1/4")--- on the sides, at least. So that's -3/4" in the middle, since she didn't have me tip my head down. My U hemline is very gone. :rolleyes: ETA: But I know for a fact she used cones on me. I didn't tell her not to, but my hair felt really, really, nasty afterward. I took a shower as soon as I could.

[Bianca]

There comes a time when I will have to cut a lot off in order to get all virgin hair. I dont want my mom to do it (she normally do my trims), cause I dont think it's just a matter of cutting straight across ? So will have to go to a hairchopper. And i'm not exactly looking forward to it... I am going to try and find one with long hair, and maybe curls too :)

ETA: Just remembered: Two years ago, I went to get my hair cut rather short, my hair was a little dry maybe, at the ends, colored a lot of times. She begins by washing
my hair, and then starts to brush it, very hard. She tells me over and over again, that my hair is very very dry. When she is finished with the cut, she slaps on half a bottle of silicone stuff, until my hair is greasy...

She obviously did not know how to deal with curly/wurly hair :rolleyes:

[Maddy25]

I get such a thrill out of cutting my hair! Especially (this will make long hairs cringe) but when it goes so short that they have to shave the back of your neck a bit or use clippers, it feels so soft! I miss it lol.

[LaFlor]

I still enjoy going to get a haircut. It means more of my damage gets choped off. Which makes me feel 10x better everytime. I haven't had too many problems with hairdressers cutting off too much.

[GermanCurl]

I have yet to meet a beautician who can cut my curly hair decent. Most of them cut it like straight hair, which is not working at all.
As a matter of fact, I have been so frustrated that I decided to let my hair grow (found LHC on the way) and if I need a trim down the road I think I will ask my daughter to cut it.

[RancheroTheBee]

I'm planning on getting my first professional haircut in over two years in November, on my birthday. :) I'm quite excited!

[Ryanne]

Painful. When I was a kid, I had to be forced.
I hated how they tried to strike up conversation I couldn't continue and made me blush and fidgety because of it; how every single hairdresser started with 'tell me when it hurts', and I was busy fighting tears the rest of the time; and the thought that my ear could be snipped off every moment.

[Lady Mary]

Every since I was young, I've hated getting my haircut. It's downright painful. They tug and rip on my hair when they wash it, they scrub way too hard. They constantly bump my face when they trim my bangs, they get hair all over my face as well (I can trim my bangs without getting hair all over my face, it's not that difficult.) They nick my ears with scissors, when they comb my hair they always snag my earrings in the comb (even when I warn them ahead of time that I have many earrings and you need to watch out for them.) The whole thing is just ugh for me. I don't like people close to my face or touching me so it basically compounds all the other stuff.

Oh yes, as someone mentioned above, when they try to make idle conversation with me. I just have nothing to say... And it gets really annoying.

Which is why when I hit 18 I started cutting my own hair, been doing it ever since. It's a much more pleasant experience for me.

[ChrissieM]

I like going to the salon except for the combing out part and the blowdrying/styling part. My hair tangles really easily when wet, and is very difficult to get a comb though. At home, I usually wait for my hair to dry completely before combing...for some reason the tangles that form when my hair is wet slip right out when it's dry. But at the salon, it takes them forever to comb through, forever to blow it all dry (I have a lot of hair).

But I do like getting trims so my ends feel better, and I like getting my bangs and front layers reshaped. I also like that the salon I go to here gives me a beer to drink while in the chair....

[ecologystudent]

Well, when I was a kid, it was always my mom doing the trimming, and I have to say she did a good job.:D Always gentle with the comb, never got itchy hair on my face, and always did exactly what I wanted. :D

I've only gotten a "professional" hair cut about 5 times in my whole life- and each time it was one of the times I was cutting back to a bob or pixie from apl or waist length hair. Obviously, I didn't exactly have the same motivations as most of you, so I wasn't worried about them taking too much off or whatever. I have to say though, I always looked silly- they never could seem to get the cut to look good on me. Perhaps they didn't realize I wasn't the type to spend more time on my hair than it took to wash it and maybe brush it once a day?:p

[Monsterkitti]

I used to love going to the hairdresser, I really like my old hair dresser, I was always so happy with how he cut my hair.

I havent been since I started growing so I cant say if it will continue to be a pleasant experience still but I am starting to get a bit nervous at the thought of someone potentially lopping months of growth off :s I think i'd only go in to have a long fringe put in, Im pretty happy with self trimming the length.

[Fractalsofhair]

Depends. I had my first "good" haircut this summer. Normally stylists have ALWAYS complained about how horrid my hair is and how it needs to be thinned and dyed and such(even when I was a baby, since they didn't like the red then white that my hair hair was.), and that it's so curly and coarse(I'm a 1b/1c... With lots of fine hair.... How they get curly out of that. XD Maybe looking at my mother with her 3bish hair!), which gets annoying. Yes, my hair takes ages to dry, yes, it's hard to detangle, and yes, it is dry, and yes, I don't dye it. The pressure to get highlights gets really annoying because a lot of stylists don't see my hair as blonde, they just can't fathom light grayish toned hair that isn't white! XD

Anyways, I finally found a great stylist who is good with the haircuts, and my short pixie looks wonderful. She was nervous to chop off the damage, which is good, since she could see the damage but didn't think it was much compared to the average person's, and left about an inch of damage so I could have a cut that will grow out best, since she gets I want long hair. She seemed astonished at my hair color, but didn't pressure me into getting highlights. She also didn't force me to buy products or blowfry my hair. She had seen one other person with the same issue with a blowdrier as what I have. We'll have to see how well she cuts my hair into more of a blunt shape in Dec, when I go for my next haircut, but I'm sure she'll do a good job, even if she'll be a bit sleep deprived from having a baby.

Now, when I was a child, the stylists weren't SO pushy about chemical processes, but they did strongly encourage a bit of bleach or a "relaxer"(which... I have straight hair, it was type 1a when I was a child, and no one in my family could fathom why I'd want to relax the wave, as there was no visible wave, even my aunt who is obsessed with super straight flat hair and who has basically forcefully straightened my hair upon occasion XD.), and neither of those made sense to my mother, since she really didn't understand how a relaxer would make my hair more "manageable" esp since my father did the detangling, and it did take time, but not as much as some boys with their dirty hair XD. She only bought into the products once, and that totally destroyed my hair. However, as I got older, the stylists became very pushy about selling products/dying my hair/straightening it etc. The one thing I can say is that they never took too much off, as when my mother said 3 inches with my 6 month haircuts, they'd cut off less than the amount my hair grew in that time(I have fast growing hair), and my hair got longer till it was mid thigh(at least according to pictures. I only remember hip length or so. XD). The stylists never pushed my mum into cutting it too short though. I have had a few "surprise" odd cuts. I asked for layers once and got a mullet.(Which a grown out version, one of my best MALE friends had. Unisex is great for some things, but when your best guy friend and you have the same hair cut... That's not so good! IMO, of course. Esp when it's a style, not something basic like a blunt cut or long hair etc. We had very similar hair naturally, he just dyed his black since it was a brassy version of my hair. XD) Another time when I was very little, I had longish hair and got a bowl cut as the stylist had broken up with the owner of the salon earlier that day and was crying. Never trust a stylist with your hair if he's sobbing.

I'm really glad to have found a good stylist though. She does detangle harshly(Which is needed on straight hair to get a proper cut), but 2 haircuts a year? 2 bad combings a year? No blowfrying, just a fine toothed comb and maybe a little rough on the towel? I'd say my teasing my hair is far more dangerous, and I'm of the mindset that teasing isn't terribly harmful to hair compared to a heat styling appliance, based on my own experiences and the fact that something that burns your hair is always worse than simply messing up a few strands. I'm a iii probs now(with damaged hair, ii/iii, and I need it to be longer before I can find out how thick my virgin hair is), so I'm not terribly worried about 1-2 broken hairs.

I'm just glad to have found a stylist with a basic understanding of what unprocessed hair looks and acts like, and how fine hair acts when you have a lot of it, as opposed to the idea that my hair is abnormal or freakish for not being dyed etc, and that it does take time to detangle. She's also good with the haircutting though! XD


There are good stylists out there, and if an extra inch is taken off, that's not a huge deal since hair DOES grow. However, there are some horrid stylists out there. Just saying No, in a very firm voice tends to work the best.

[twilight_faerie]

I enjoy getting my hair trimmed. I like my haircutter (she follows directions well!), and I find it to be a relaxing experience. I also love the way my ends feel after being trimmed. When you find a haircutter you trust, there's really no reason not to enjoy haircuts.

[Tap Dancer]

I love going to the salon. I've always been lucky that hairdressers listen to me. And I've been a regular at my current salon for over 8 years.

[dukkelisa]

I refuse to have trims or cuts anymore. It just seems pointless to me, since I do not wear my hair down. As far as a salon goes, I have had very few good cuts when I wore it short, so my confidence in stylists is pretty grim. I want terminal length, no matter how it "looks". I wear it up anyways.

[Ruvie]

I only do S&D, i get scared about getting it cut, and I'm only 25 inches!! Sometimes I am worried that Ill lose a lot of length during a dusting or something. I guess hair becomes a security blanket for people *cough* me *cough*

[Spring]

I know there are some good stylists out there somewhere, but generally I'm very leary of them :(

[smilinjenn71]

I think the key is to be very clear about how much you want taken off. It also seems to help if you share a tiny bit about your hair journey and goals. That gives the stylist a more clear picture of how you feel about your hair and how you treat it.

I love love love going to the salon! I love having someone else wash and condition my hair. I love having it combed, trimmed and styled by someone else. I love the conversation and looking in the books at all the hairstyles. I love my stylist and how he listens and follows directions!!!

Pamper me baby! OooOoohhh yea!:D

[Kris Dove]

I'm nervous because I've been to hairdressers who have hacked loads off after being specifically told not to!

I do love having it blowdried and straightened though, as they always do a far better job of it than I ever do, and it looks great.

[marikamt]

Pre-LHC, I LOVE, LOVE, LOVED it....
Now, I need my ends cleaned up and it is giving me an ulcer... :D

Not really, but I think it is because I am so cognizant of how long it will take me to grow an inch, I want to lose as little as possible........

:pray: please, please please let her know what 1/4-1/2 inch is.........

[jasper]

It's been a mixed experience for me. Everything from perfectly pleased to leaving in tears.

I've done my own bangs for a long time and yesterday I trimmed up the length following the instructions here Link (http://community.livejournal.com/feyeselftrim/). So I think I can take care of it myself for the time being.

[maxzeen]

hmm well my last haircut was horrible because my usual hairdresser wasn't there. and she always did a nice job and did exactly what i wanted.

unfortunately with my last haircut..the hairdresser was :scissors: happy and chopped up my hair. now i have layers all the way up to my eyebrows (well not really but it feels that way). it makes me feel like its going to take forever to grow it out.

but anyways!!! as long as you have a hairdresser that you know and trust you should be fine. good luck!

[rhubarbarin]

I haven't been to a salon since I was about 8, but I remember not liking it then. They would always blow it out and give me enormous super-80s hair, and rip through it wet with a fine-tooth comb.

My mom cut my hair most of my life, and I started cutting it myself when I was 15 or so.

I'm not really the type to cry about a bad haircut. What's done is done, and if you do it yourself you have only yourself to blame! Although I usually had regrets when I took a lot off.

[cassie_g]

I've only had one experience that I would call bad. Hairdresser didn't cut my layers the same length on both sides and it was noticable. And that was when I had short hair. But I haven't stepped into a salon since 2004 and barely ever trim it myself, so I don't have a vast number haircutting experiences.

[pilateschick7]

I find it painful. I would almost rather go to the dentist. I have not had a cut since November 2008.

[23_seconds]

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[Blackfay]

I've done so many terrible things to my hair and it always grows back, so when a haircut turns out shorter than I would like it doesn't faze me. I usually only get a haircut once or twice a year, when I'm really itching for something new so I always look forward to it once I decide to go.

[emeraldfaery]

My mom always used to trim my hair and back then I would tell her to take off 3-5" at a time. I loved how blunt and nice my ends would be after a big trim like that. :D

[Zéphine]

I always hated getting my hair cut. I didn't care for short hair on myself...or the sensation of scissors snipping near my ears or neck. Now I cut it myself, so apart from that one time that I hacked off about a foot of hair when I was in a bad mood, it's pretty painless. I do a "dusting" about once every three months; my hair looks the same length after the cut, but with blunter ends and fewer tangles.

[Lyndistine]

Because I've been keeping it short, and because money has been tight, I always loved the chance to go get a cut. It'll be hard to resist the salon, especially in the impossible stages, but Imma do my best! So, yes. Cuts for me have always been a joyful experience.

[Pumpkin]

I would rather have a root canal, than go to a salon again. I haven't been to a salon in almost a year. I do not miss the experience. And to have the money back that I wasted in the past 10 years on salons, i.e. cutting, color, etc. Ugh!!

Stylist want to give you a short hairstyle, color, etc. to keep you coming back. Hey, it is more money in their pocket. Well, I will pass. If i need a trim, I have a very capable Aunt who can to that for me.

[RocketDog]

After a series of truly awful haircuts in my late teens, I ended up swearing off 'professional' cuts and did my own hair for several years. About two and a half years ago my dear friend introduced me to an excellent stylist who did wonders with her curly, somewhat unruly hair and I took a leap of faith and let him do my hair... and I have been a faithful client ever since! He is very good at taking my very vague requests and magically creating JUST what I'd asked for, even if my description didn't make much sense even to myself. He is a great guy, very reasonably priced, and never seems to mind my special requests. He and I have enjoyed seeing the changes in my hair as it gets longer and closer to my natural color and texture(when he first started cutting my hair it was bottle-black and jaw-length), and he's been able to give me great tips on how to manage my curl and coax it out when it's being stubborn.

[pluto_crna]

i usually have to prepare mentally a few days before i make an appointment but i have to admit i love the feeling of freshly cut hair, so healthy...if she didn't cut too much of it mind you!

[bunnikins]

I used to like going to salons but after my hair got thin I baby it and the shampoo ladies brush your hair that half of it comes out or breaks, they don't treat it nicely. So if I have to go I wash my hair at home the night before I go to the salon and when I am there I just tell them - I want my hair just be sprayed with water before cutting not washed and brushed. they always do. But I have decided to grow my hair now and actually realized that if I don't trim it the length is much longer in a year than with trims! I had long hair 2 years ago but never looked after it well and cut it off. Now I want it back :)

[silentwanderer]

I have two haircut experiences.
My first one was in a normal salon. I payed quite a bit just for a cut. The lady obviously had no idea how to treat curls. She shampooed my hair twice and didn't use conditioner and tried to comb my hair through with a rat tail comb. Sorry, but for me that is just stupidity. I expect stylists to know that. I asked for a conditioner and finally got it. The lady cut my hair while it was slightly damp and combed it during the whole process and in the end I had a cloud on my head! I came in with super defined curls and after her "treatment" I had a cloud. She padded it in place and lied about me looking fabulous.

My last experience was a month ago. I wanted my curls in a bobcut. I went in the cheapest salon, but this time I didn't want to go through the whole detangling torture and asked for a dry cut. First the girl didn't want to do it ,but I convinced her and I'm so glad I did. My cut is really good. I like it alot and I only spend 15 bucks on it. Now, I wouldn't go to an expensive salon anymore. In fact ,I'm not going at all, because I'm letting my hair grow anyway.

[ooo]

i love getting a hair cut and this is bad. i do have a nice hairdresse in vienna who does microtrimms and S&D :)

[clairenewcastle]

i love getting a hair cut and this is bad. i do have a nice hairdresse in vienna who does microtrimms and S&D :)


I found this quite interesting - a hairdresser who does S&D's? This is something I hadn't heard of before! Microtrims, yes (although I'm sure everyone has had a microtrim-that-wasn't) but the concept of a hairdresser S&Ding?????

[clairenewcastle]

Overall, getting a haircut is a painful experience for me. Far too many unwanted haircuts were inflicted on me in childhood and throughout my teens for me to be able to relax and enjoy hairdressers at this stage of my life.

[Anywhere]

Painful. they always cut a good 4" more than they say that they will, and last time I went my stylist suddenly cut off a good 12" off of the top part of my left side, she was giving me layers even though I didn't ask for them. And since I can't just leave with part of my hair short, I had to sit there and endure more and more cutting. And it looks terrible unless I flat iron it, which I never do.

Painful painful painful.

[RubyRose]

I am very lucky to have a half sister as a hair dresser. Our hair is biologically the same, so she knows how to treat it. I have not gone in for an actual haircut in almost 3 years, only for trimming and deep conditioning once a month.