Are people freaked out or disgusted by your hair?

[Becky9679]

Today I was reminded of something someone at work once said to me (quite a while back now from before I joined the forum but I've only just remembered it).

I was talking about my love of long hair and she said she thought very long hair was "horrible" and "disgusting". Those exact words.

This struck me as a very extreme reaction and I wondered if anyone else has come across this attitude before?

[chopandchange]

Well most people don't see my hair because it's normally always up or plaited. But maybe they are thinking those things, and just not saying them.

[RedCat]

Some people don't like long hair. I do not understand why:confused:
I think they are jealous:D

[LotusFIre]

Today I was reminded of something someone at work once said to me (quite a while back now from before I joined the forum but I've only just remembered it).

I was talking about my love of long hair and she said she thought very long hair was "horrible" and "disgusting". Those exact words.

This struck me as a very extreme reaction and I wondered if anyone else has come across this attitude before?

What a mean thing to say! especially since YOU are growing it long and she knew that! Jeez.
I have seen bad long hair, but to say all long hair is horrible!!
That is absurd!

[pepperminttea]

Generally the opinion I've come into contact with so far falls into three categories:
1) "Pretty!"/"I want to grow my hair too!"
2) "It's unprofessional."
3) "Eww."

Personally I ignore 2 and 3, since they're much, much rarer than 1. And hey, as long as you like your hair, it doesn't really matter. :)

[Amraann]

I think that some people were raised being told that long hair is un-kept or unclean.
Much like some were raised being told that people over 40 should not have long hair.

What that woman said was just rude. IMO it says more about her issues then your hair.

[tigerhearted]

The only person I've met who has seemed disgusted by my long hair, is my cousin. And I think that's because his ex-wife has very long hair, and she cheated on him and broke his heart, so anything that reminds him of her disgusts him. This is just conjecture, because he didn't actually say anything, but he seemed less-than-neutral when he saw my hair long for the first time.

[jasper]

I used to be a bit freaked out by my coworker's hair when it was somewhere between thigh and knee length. She always wore it loose at work and I would picture it getting stuck in the door as she entered or exited the building. She never had that problem that I know of, so I guess I was just worrying on her behalf.

One day my mother in law was expressing disgust about some woman's remarkably long hair. She had seen this woman in a fast food restaurant and was telling me about it after the fact. I thought it was really strange that she seemed so disgusted, and I tried to understand what the problem was. All I could get from asking questions was that she thought the woman was too old to have hair that long. So I guess I will find out from her when she thinks mine is too long, as I am not getting any younger and I believe my hair will grow longer. . .

[princessp]

I think some people legitimately don't like long hair. But with that said, I'm wondering if it is kind of extreme to use he words "horrible" and "disgusting" to describe it. I wouldn't use those words to describe short hair, but I might use those words to describe something that really sickens me such as meat consumption (since I'm a vegetarian). When I consider what it takes for me to use those words this seems like an extreme dislike of something so seemingly innocuous as hair. I bet there is more to it (maybe she really wants long hair and can't grow it? Maybe she has an experience with a cheating ex and a long hair was involved?). Just speculation but it does seems strange to be so adamantly against long hair. We are not hurting ourselves with our long locks or anyone else for that matter so why all the hate? :shrug:

[Madora]

Holy Cow! Tactless much???

Gosh, if hair "freaks" out someone, they sure are in for a shock when something really horrible happens!

[ooo]

Sometimes I'm disgusted by my own hair. Other people don't seem to mind.

[krissykins]

I'm sorry, that's terrible! :( I've never had someone say something rude about my hair, but I do know girls who wish they didn't have to have hair on their heads because it gross them out :rolleyes:

[Cirafly24]

The only time anyone has been freaked out or disgusted by my hair was when my mom somehow got a strand of it in her mouth. She has a sort of phobia of that, and she almost barfed.

That was about 2 years ago, when my hair was quite a bit shorter. I'd hate to see how she'd react now to a 3+ foot long hair in her mouth!

[Speckla]

I can't wait until my hair is long enough to digust people!

[McFearless]

My hair is always contained and it isn't very long so no. I think many people are freaked out by looooooong hair but as they say "haters gonna hate".

[x0h_bother]

Maybe they think long hair is synonymous with not caring for hair, which are two very different things as we all know on here :D

LOL @ Speckla!

[Taur5684]

I'm going to play devil's advocate here...
is it possible that she wasn't serious?

I remember an occasion several years ago where my mom commented on the length of my friend's fingernails by saying "oh, that's just disgusting." My friend then later asked me why my mom would say something like that...I was caught off guard by the question and then hastily assured my friend that my mom didn't mean it literally, but that she was actually admiring them (as in "oh that's disgusting that you can grow such lovely nails and I can't")

I'm not saying that that is definitely the case here, because I know of people who dislike hair that is past the shoulders on men or women, so actual feelings of disgust at long-haired individuals is entirely possible...just pointing out that it might not be :-)

[Mesmerise]

I'm not sure why people would be freaked out or disgusted by long hair??! I mean... I guess if I saw someone with really long hair, and I was close enough to notice that the ends were all really badly split, or the hair was really greasy (dirty rather than oiled... smelly or whatever) I might think it was disgusting... but then again, if I saw much shorter hair in that condition I'd think the same thing (long hair's more likely to be split though, I guess!).

Still, I can't see how long hair in and of itself is disgusting!

And Taur I know what you mean by the "disgusting" fingernails. I've said stuff like that too, but you generally know (hopefully) that they're just saying it like, "It's disgusting how long and beautiful your hair is!" out of a "I wish I could grow my hair like that" mindset not a "OMG that's disgusting and horrible!!" mindset.

[.rabbit.]

I don't see how it can be 'disgusting' I mean, come on! maybe, you don't like it, but how can you say it is disgusting?

[HuggyBear]

Nobody has called my hair disgusting, at least not to my face anyway. Basically, I don't really care what other people think. I like my hair and I take care of it. I don't go around insulting other people and they better not do it to me or they're gonna get an earful. :rant:

[LotusFIre]

I can't wait until my hair is long enough to digust people! HAHA I was about to write someting similar, I'm glad I looked back at the comments first. :laugh:

Really! We should be so lucky! :D

[Fufu]

Beware of my hair, I'm a hairy monster. If a person ever felt disgusted by my long hair, I will grow my hair longer and treat my hair my most precious gem

[Natalia]

Today I was reminded of something someone at work once said to me (quite a while back now from before I joined the forum but I've only just remembered it).

I was talking about my love of long hair and she said she thought very long hair was "horrible" and "disgusting". Those exact words.

This struck me as a very extreme reaction and I wondered if anyone else has come across this attitude before?

I havent quite gotten that vocal or obvious a negative comment but ive recived much general negativity about the length of my hair. Most views like what you describe seem to come from specific experiances or cultural misinformation. In some social groups having long hair means you cant afford the freequent cuts that high fasion styles demand, that type of logic lends to thinking that if you cant afford the cut you cant possibly have "propper" hygeine. Dont know why cant explain it but its what ive heard and observed.

I dont tell 2 of my brothers or my sister that i am mostly WO becasue i know they would find it "nasty" or "gross" even though im very through and clean. Its just been ingrained in our culture in the last decades since shampoo became common that you have to wash every day or your disgusting, how that relates to long hair im not sure but it seems too. Sorry if i make no sense i rarely drink but im a bit buzzed tonight lol.

[fluffybunny]

Well I admit I find some comparable substances gross (super long nails, leather) while finding hair and other comparable substances (wood, horn) to be beautiful. I'm not sure what distinguishes them. They're all dead tissue that was once living.

I also notice I'm a bit turned off by tortoise shell after having a turtle and seeing its shed platelets. Prior to that I found it pretty.

[milagro]

I must live in another world but I've never heard anyone referring to hair as disgusting due to length... I actually never heard of disgusting hair at all. I've heard people say, and I happened to say it myself that someone's hair or style is unkempt or unbecoming but there were usually other reasons given than the length of it. I am pretty sure most people do think long healthy hair beautiful, it is just natural. Unless it is in their plate :D

[julliams]

I think it's one of those "hair is pretty on my head" but "hair is disgusting in my food" things. Only, they just don't like it long. What I'm trying to say is, one thing might be nice one way, but seen as gross another way. So some people might like it short and heat and chemical treated, but dislike it long and natural. That's been my experience many times over. I get less and less compliments from people I meet the longer I grow my hair and since I have worn it natural, I only get compliments when it's heat straightened - then I get told how healthy it looks :rolleyes:

[Sylph]

My four year old nephew keeps telling me I should 'get my hair cut'... but I suspect he's just repeating what my sister is saying when I'm not there.

I have had a number of people tell me I need to cut my hair before the baby is born. Why, exactly? I can get away with washing my hair every 5-6 days at the moment. I doubt I could do that with cropped hair. I've been warned it will end up getting smooshed into nappies... apparently I lack the basic intelligence to put my hair up if I'm doing something messy ;)

[thirstylocks]

My mom says that about my hair because she thinks its unhealthy and too long.

[smileycat]

My four year old nephew keeps telling me I should 'get my hair cut'... but I suspect he's just repeating what my sister is saying when I'm not there.

I have had a number of people tell me I need to cut my hair before the baby is born. Why, exactly? I can get away with washing my hair every 5-6 days at the moment. I doubt I could do that with cropped hair. I've been warned it will end up getting smooshed into nappies... apparently I lack the basic intelligence to put my hair up if I'm doing something messy ;)

Oh, no, definitely do not change your hair before having a baby! First, because as you point out, it will be MORE work to have shorter hair, and also because the post-birth hormones will wreak havoc on your emotions.

Some people just don't know when to keep their opinions to themselves. I have opinions too. When it comes to appearance, unless I am asked for advice, I just keep it to myself.

[wvgemini]

I must live in another world but I've never heard anyone referring to hair as disgusting due to length... I actually never heard of disgusting hair at all. I've heard people say, and I happened to say it myself that someone's hair or style is unkempt or unbecoming but there were usually other reasons given than the length of it. I am pretty sure most people do think long healthy hair beautiful, it is just natural. Unless it is in their plate :D

This mostly. I have seen beautiful long hair and lovely short hair. I have also seen dirty and ratty hair in just about every length. I don't think one length is worse than another, and I can't recall hearing anyone around me say that long hair is nasty. Not yet anyway, lol.

[mrs_coffee]

What an odd thing to say to someone. I mean, she's entitled to her opinion but vocalizing it to you, specifically, seems tacky and rude on her part.

[Becky9679]

What have I wrought, loads of responses in such a short space :D

Thanks for all the support, rest assured that I wouldn't let something like this get to me, I'm quite used to ignorant and mean comments from people due to several other factors like the way I chose to dress, the fact that I have facial piercings, being a vegan etc. so someone saying something like that isn't going to upset me too much. It's just an attitude I've never encountered in relation to hair before in spite of having long hair my whole life (and very long, i.e. waist/hip length for some of it).

The person in question was definitely talking about all long hair that's still on people's heads (not in food etc.) and when I asked her why she couldn't really give a proper response, she just said she really hates it.

Her own hair was about nape length, all bleached to hell and very thin so there may indeed have been jealousy or possibly 'hair fashion' issues involved!

[twolunarspring]

I once had a friend tell me that he'd ideally like to be with a girl with long hair "but only a little past her shoulders - not freakishly long or anything, that's just weird."

Tact isn't his strong point ;)

[twolunarspring]

(I think it's quite common, isn't it, to have a phobia of shed hairs? I've come across that quite a lot, so perhaps it's related)

[Toadstool]

I'm not quite sure why everyone is so surprised by this. I suppose it's because everyone here by virtue of membership appreciates long hair.

Like the above poster said, a certain level of revulsion to shed hairs is common. I often retch if I am cleaning hairs out of the plughole. So to me a dislike of it on someone's head is just one step further. A lot of people here have an equally visceral reaction to bleached "fried" or short hair. That is equally irrational.
My sister finds long hair disgusting. She keeps hers super short and I can assure you her dislike is neither out of jealousy nor an inability to grow her own hair long.:)

[Eolan]

Yep, I have heard the word "disgusting" quite a few times. A few of my friends have said that they find long hair disgusting. I'm not sure when hair goes from "normal" or "okay" to "disgusting", but when I say I want to grow my hair to tailbone I often get: "But that's disgusting.", like it's some universal truth. My hairdresser even said that she found my hair a bit disgusting when she cut it one time, and I was only at waist then. We are very close friends and we joke and comment on each other in a rather harsh way sometimes, but that was a bit over the line for me.

I don't care if people think long hair is disgusting, I don't care if they barf every time they see me. But seriously, why the need to tell me that they feel like that? Is it dangerous to my health? No. Is it dangerous to someone else? No. So just SHUT UP about it.

[Eolan]

I'm not quite sure why everyone is so surprised by this. I suppose it's because everyone here by virtue of membership appreciates long hair.

Like the above poster said, a certain level of revulsion to shed hairs is common. I often retch if I am cleaning hairs out of the plughole. So to me a dislike of it on someone's head is just one step further. A lot of people here have an equally visceral reaction to bleached "fried" or short hair. That is equally irrational.
My sister finds long hair disgusting. She keeps hers super short and I can assure you her dislike is neither out of jealousy nor an inability to grow her own hair long.:)

I think this is well said. I do not appriciate threads here where people say how awful bleached/styled/short/whatever hair is. If that's how someone wants to wear their hair, then what's the problem? Just let them.

[intothemist1999]

Gosh, if hair "freaks" out someone, they sure are in for a shock when something really horrible happens!

LOL This is a very good point!!

"Long hair is icky" seems to be a common theme some longhairs here have come across, from the posts I've read in the almost 4 years since I've been here. I'd never heard of it prior, thinking that like me --and most people I know socially-- people would think long hair is groovy.

I know part of it stems from older generations where hair (and the body) was not often washed. Long hair that's flowing around could maybe drop some sort of body bugs, too (?).

Also, very long hair (clean or not) flowing freely can get into people's food, and even eyes and mouth if standing too close and the person flicks the hair.

Although I know most people wash daily nowadays, I still don't like to see people (ok, it's usually women and girls) brush or comb their hair in public. I like hair but I don't want someone else's all over me (nor their dandruff, if they have it) and I don't want it airborne around food.

On a side note, I don't watch The Apprentice (but DH does) and one I saw made me cringe -- every time the young ladies piled into the car, out came the all paddle brushes immediately (I've never seen anything quite like that! It was bizarre) and they all started brushing like mad. It came across like a nervous tic, they seemed so obsessive about it. I thought it was very unprofessional.

[Becky9679]

I think this is well said. I do not appriciate threads here where people say how awful bleached/styled/short/whatever hair is. If that's how someone wants to wear their hair, then what's the problem? Just let them.

I’m sorry, I didn’t wish to offend anybody with that statement. I wasn’t trying to make a generalisation about people with short hair, or even about those who dislike long hair. I realise that there are some things some people just don’t like but since this girl was rude enough to pass comments to my face in such strong terms then I feel justified in commenting about her (I didn’t say anything of the sort at the time).

Myself I think hair of all lengths can look amazing. I’ve even considered shaving my head into an Annie Lennox kind of style, though never seriously. The only thing I really dislike is when it gets damaged and frazzled from overprocessing such as use of dryers, straighteners, too much bleach and other products, but I would never say to someone’s face that I thought their hair was horrible. Not unless they asked me for an honest opinion and even then I’d put it more tactfully than that!

[vanillabones]

I must admit I am a little... I don't want to say freaked out... and I'm certainly not DISGUSTED... but I'd say closer to that line when I see people in public with hair that goes past their tailbone and it is all hanging loose. There just seems something dirty about it and I instantly picture them sitting down on their gorgeous long hair that they took so much patience to grow out on some dirty plastic chair. So it's more of picturing someone's hair subjected to germs and all over the place in public making it gross rather than the fact that the hair itself is long and gross. I think I speak for many people when I say this, it seems to be the general opinion and what a lot of people think in their head when seeing someone with past tailbone length hair hanging loose in public.

An intricate up-do I am always jealous of and admire from a distance and even compliment on :) It'd be insanely rude to go up to someone with long long hair and say it's gross though.... I can't fathom how people can say that to someone's face.

[wvgemini]

On a side note, I don't watch The Apprentice (but DH does) and one I saw made me cringe -- every time the young ladies piled into the car, out came the all paddle brushes immediately (I've never seen anything quite like that! It was bizarre) and they all started brushing like mad. It came across like a nervous tic, they seemed so obsessive about it. I thought it was very unprofessional.

Lol! I can totally picture this! Mainly because this is how my best friend and I used to be in middle and high school.:o

[Copasetic]

I have never had someone tell me that they thought long hair was gross, but whenever I tell someone about the amount of hair I pull out of my shower drain, they get pretty grossed out :p

[HarvestMD]

I must admit I am a little... I don't want to say freaked out... and I'm certainly not DISGUSTED... but I'd say closer to that line when I see people in public with hair that goes past their tailbone and it is all hanging loose. There just seems something dirty about it and I instantly picture them sitting down on their gorgeous long hair that they took so much patience to grow out on some dirty plastic chair. So it's more of picturing someone's hair subjected to germs and all over the place in public making it gross rather than the fact that the hair itself is long and gross.

I agree with this.

I saw someone at a store recently who had very long hair, and even though it looked healthy, seeing it loose was an immediate ick reaction for me because I knew everything that hair had probably experienced by being down (mainly because I knew what my hair used to experience when it was super long and I would wear it down).

I do like to see apparently long healthy hair in fun or intricate styles, and that gets no ick factor from me at all--even if from the look of the style it's clear the hair is super long.

[enfys]

Of course people aren't freaked out or disgusted by my hair; it's clean, shiny and smells of coconuts. And is up so it's never in anything.

I'm not freaked out by hair in general, but if I find hair in my food I gag. Depending on whose hair it is I might eat around it (Dad: will eat around, DH: will eat around, staff in bakery: will ditch whole pastie) but I won't enjoy it. The hair in the plugholes from the previous owner of our house was really, really vile to find.

There's a time and a place for long hair, and I think people are influenced by their contact with it. DH used to be grossed out by superlong hair, so I probed him to find out why. Turns out his cousin was totally neglected as a child and her hair would end up in horrible messes since she wasn't even potty trained. The good news is she went to live with his family and since meeting me DH now loves long hair. There's hope.

[julliams]

My four year old nephew keeps telling me I should 'get my hair cut'... but I suspect he's just repeating what my sister is saying when I'm not there.

I have had a number of people tell me I need to cut my hair before the baby is born. Why, exactly? I can get away with washing my hair every 5-6 days at the moment. I doubt I could do that with cropped hair. I've been warned it will end up getting smooshed into nappies... apparently I lack the basic intelligence to put my hair up if I'm doing something messy ;)

I cut my hair short when I had my son. Not only did it take more work and my hair was constantly in my eyes which is not good when doing nappy changes, I didn't feel I looked as nice anymore. My hair really is my best feature and without that, feeling overweight and all the other postpartum feelings that go with having a baby, I really didn't feel all that great within myself. I honestly think I would have faired better with my long hair.

I decided to grow it back pretty quick smart after that.

[Eolan]

I’m sorry, I didn’t wish to offend anybody with that statement. I wasn’t trying to make a generalisation about people with short hair, or even about those who dislike long hair. I realise that there are some things some people just don’t like but since this girl was rude enough to pass comments to my face in such strong terms then I feel justified in commenting about her (I didn’t say anything of the sort at the time).

Myself I think hair of all lengths can look amazing. I’ve even considered shaving my head into an Annie Lennox kind of style, though never seriously. The only thing I really dislike is when it gets damaged and frazzled from overprocessing such as use of dryers, straighteners, too much bleach and other products, but I would never say to someone’s face that I thought their hair was horrible. Not unless they asked me for an honest opinion and even then I’d put it more tactfully than that!

I hadn't even read your response when I wrote that, so I was not trying to pin point you out. I'm sorry if you felt that way. I just agreed with Toadstools post. It's the old "treat others like you want to be treated", I guess. That applies to all of us, myself included. :flower:

[supernatural]

well.. i am in india. So no, i never heard anything against long hair. Culturally, long hair are a matter of pride for women.
I have BSL hair, and its the shortest amongst all my female cousins... so i sort of have a reverse problem. :)

[Hiriel]

A co-worker of mine has said things about hair around my length like it's "gross" and "way too long" and "just looks straggly, no matter what". I usually wear my hair up, but when I let it down, she goes "ooooh, your hair is getting so long and beautiful!" :rolleyes:
I've pointed out that my hair is the same length she calls "way too long to look good", but she just laughs and doesn't seem to realise :p

I think maybe my hip length hair doesn't count as hip length hair to her, because I'm so short :p

[Toadstool]

[quote=Becky9679;1502596]I’m sorry, I didn’t wish to offend anybody with that statement. I wasn’t trying to make a generalisation about people with short hair, or even about those who dislike long hair. I realise that there are some things some people just don’t like but since this girl was rude enough to pass comments to my face in such strong terms then I feel justified in commenting about her (I didn’t say anything of the sort at the time).
/quote]

I wasn't getting at you, more a general attitude amongst some posters here. Interestingly I have seen some people get really distressed when someone else's hair is in bad condition, whereas that doesn't bother me at all!
The world would be a boring place if we were all the same :)

[BabyRay33]

I have to admit that sometimes realllllly long hair does sort of freak me out a bit, but like others have said, I worry about the germs and stuff that must be in it from it hanging around.

I think our culture has a very strong fear of anything "dirty" or "unclean" and I think long hair falls into that catagory for a lot of people because they assume that it is not kept up very well. I was reading some forum a few days ago and my boyfriend looked over and saw TB length hair, and he said EWW. I asked why- and he said that it seems like hair that long couldn't be very clean.

Which I thought was kind of funny because he had mid back length hair in highschool...but he was obsessive about washing it everyday though.

I think people assume it is not being taken care of, because of the amount of it.

[selderon]

I have seen very long hair that I didn't think was attractive, but I've never been disgusted by the length of anyone's hair.

A phobia of long hair sounds funny... but then there are people who are deathly afraid of cotton balls, cats and air.

[spidermom]

I've never had anybody say anything negative about my long hair except my father, who said "it looks like a big old mess." But even he came around to admitting (the following year) "it's sort of pretty." We don't see each other much.

When my hair was somewhere between shoulder and APL, I was walking with a coworker with very short, bleached hair behind another coworker with about classic length hair pulled back into a ponytail. Short-hair coworker said to me "Isn't her hair awful? It looks like a horse's tail!" I responded that I like long hair. I hope the woman with the ponytail didn't hear what short-hair said.

[leslissocool]

My four year old nephew keeps telling me I should 'get my hair cut'... but I suspect he's just repeating what my sister is saying when I'm not there.

I have had a number of people tell me I need to cut my hair before the baby is born. Why, exactly? I can get away with washing my hair every 5-6 days at the moment. I doubt I could do that with cropped hair. I've been warned it will end up getting smooshed into nappies... apparently I lack the basic intelligence to put my hair up if I'm doing something messy ;)


The best advice I got while pregnant was not to cut my hair because I would end up cutting too much and regret it. My friend cut her waist length hair to a ear's length bob and she really did regret it.

Something I found is that it was easier to control my hair shed while long. If it's up and not shedding on the baby, then it can't get stuck on the baby's fingers (which they do wrap around and could cause discomfort). Short hair (specially the so called mom bobs) can get in your eyes while changing a diaper... Now that would be hard to deal with!

[Aveyronnaise]

Oh, no, definitely do not change your hair before having a baby! First, because as you point out, it will be MORE work to have shorter hair, and also because the post-birth hormones will wreak havoc on your emotions.

Some people just don't know when to keep their opinions to themselves. I have opinions too. When it comes to appearance, unless I am asked for advice, I just keep it to myself.

I am going to second this , I did the cut before the baby and felt freaked out post partum. ugh. I can't believe I fell for the all of the pressure.

[Moondancer77]

Some people I've dated thought it was wierd I didn't use shampoo all the time. My mother too now that i think on it. But she has a pixie cut. And alot of people don't realize how bad using so much shampoo can be.

[AnnaJamila]

:disgust: SOMEbody has a complex! Lol, maybe she was bitten by a dog with long hair when she was little . . . :crazyq:

ETA: Since probably none of you on here are mind readers, just thought I'd clarify that this was in response to the OP. Lol, sorry, long day!

[error]

Wow I am so happy someone decided to make this thread!! Just two days ago I went to the supermarket (was cravin some home made squishy oatmeal cookies) and so im on the check out line. Behind me is a group of guys , I am literally just an earshot away , and geez how obnoxious and rude these guys were they decided to talk about me the entire time! They were talking about how my hair was disgusting , creepy , how I probably think im a vampire ? One of them decided to talk about how long hair is filthy and how I probably do not care about my physical appearance ! YA KIDDIN!! Long hair especially from men and woman here at the LHC is very well cared for , where most people take fifteen minutes heat styling their hair for luxurious curls , we spend hours patiently waiting with a head full of rag curls! Where many buy drug store hair dyes that can permanently damage hair we use the super long process that is henna and sit for sometimes over a day with a glob of henna pigment with the consistency of a cow pie on our heads! :bull: As much as I told myself in my head don't let it get to you Nicci, it really did , I felt so awful I felt like I was back in highschool wanting to disappear ! On top of it I was so happy I got to go out in my new dorky t shirt dress lol http://s59.photobucket.com/albums/g309/deathORdie/?action=view&current=100_6057.jpg But yeah , what a brutally awful week it has been. Sorry for my venting , it is just so crazy how a few rude comments can be so damaging , people really gotta learn to keep their tongues in their mouths!:bigtongue:

[Karala]

lol, I wish they were... But it's probably gonna take me about another century to get even to waist lenght :rolleyes:

[trilobite]

I think people get uncomfortable because they see long hair as sexual or kinky. My husband jokes about this.

[QMacrocarpa]

The only long hair that ever struck me as freak-out-worthy was on an apparently homeless older woman who was commonly seen pushing a grocery cart around the downtown highschool I attended. Her hair was probably tailbone-length or so, and all matted into one big mass down her back.

[lilravendark]

Wow I am so happy someone decided to make this thread!! Just two days ago I went to the supermarket (was cravin some home made squishy oatmeal cookies) and so im on the check out line. Behind me is a group of guys , I am literally just an earshot away , and geez how obnoxious and rude these guys were they decided to talk about me the entire time! They were talking about how my hair was disgusting , creepy , how I probably think im a vampire ? One of them decided to talk about how long hair is filthy and how I probably do not care about my physical appearance ! YA KIDDIN!! Long hair especially from men and woman here at the LHC is very well cared for , where most people take fifteen minutes heat styling their hair for luxurious curls , we spend hours patiently waiting with a head full of rag curls! Where many buy drug store hair dyes that can permanently damage hair we use the super long process that is henna and sit for sometimes over a day with a glob of henna pigment with the consistency of a cow pie on our heads! :bull: As much as I told myself in my head don't let it get to you Nicci, it really did , I felt so awful I felt like I was back in highschool wanting to disappear ! On top of it I was so happy I got to go out in my new dorky t shirt dress lol http://s59.photobucket.com/albums/g309/deathORdie/?action=view&current=100_6057.jpg But yeah , what a brutally awful week it has been. Sorry for my venting , it is just so crazy how a few rude comments can be so damaging , people really gotta learn to keep their tongues in their mouths!:bigtongue:

Don't worry about those fools a whip around with a stern look and the evil eye will shut them up usually stupid people don't realise how loud they are I've been a witness to that kind of behaviour and I tell you all the time bark is bigger than bite, bunch of losers I think they just angry cos the saw you and knew that no way in hell would they have a chance with a long haired beauty like you haha :D

[selderon]

What would totally rock as a response to those rude boys who discussed error so rudely would be to turn and, politely and curiously, ask why they thought long hair must be dirty.

They'd be so uncomfortable. :stirpot: And you might get some insight into why some people are so uncomfortable with the idea of long hair.

BTW, error is hawt!

[error]

Lol you guys are the best :->

[nellreno]

I must admit I am a little... I don't want to say freaked out... and I'm certainly not DISGUSTED... but I'd say closer to that line when I see people in public with hair that goes past their tailbone and it is all hanging loose. There just seems something dirty about it and I instantly picture them sitting down on their gorgeous long hair that they took so much patience to grow out on some dirty plastic chair. So it's more of picturing someone's hair subjected to germs and all over the place in public making it gross rather than the fact that the hair itself is long and gross. I think I speak for many people when I say this, it seems to be the general opinion and what a lot of people think in their head when seeing someone with past tailbone length hair hanging loose in public.

Just because someone has long hair does not mean they are incapable of moving it when they sit down. And short hair can be "germy" too.

[telegraph64]

Any length hair can be "germy" and disgusting if it is not well cared for.
I've never gotten any kind of reactions since I wear it up most of the time, or in braids, but I do get compliments on the length. Remember, BSL hair is considered "super long" in a lot of cultures. Not all of them, mind you, but there are some.

[NotInPortland]

Urgh I don't know if this is exactly what you are talking about but my own mother lately has taken to giving out about my hair and how she doesn't like it long and it doesn't look nice at all etc etc..she says the ends look absolutely awful and thin...I have fairytale ends which I actually quite like and I know the ends are a bit damaged but I'm holding off on trimming for now to get more length. She's my mother but sometimes people need to learn when to keep their mouths shut and their opinions to themselves, especially family! I told her I'm going to grow it to my ankles just to spite her mwhaha :twisted: :p

[Vorvolaka]

My mum let slip today that she thinks it's awful that I only wash my hair every fourth day and do WO on a day in between. But she also said that she couldn't have told the difference if I hadn't told her.

[RedCat]

Wow I am so happy someone decided to make this thread!! Just two days ago I went to the supermarket (was cravin some home made squishy oatmeal cookies) and so im on the check out line. Behind me is a group of guys , I am literally just an earshot away , and geez how obnoxious and rude these guys were they decided to talk about me the entire time! They were talking about how my hair was disgusting , creepy , how I probably think im a vampire ? One of them decided to talk about how long hair is filthy and how I probably do not care about my physical appearance ! YA KIDDIN!! Long hair especially from men and woman here at the LHC is very well cared for , where most people take fifteen minutes heat styling their hair for luxurious curls , we spend hours patiently waiting with a head full of rag curls! Where many buy drug store hair dyes that can permanently damage hair we use the super long process that is henna and sit for sometimes over a day with a glob of henna pigment with the consistency of a cow pie on our heads! :bull: As much as I told myself in my head don't let it get to you Nicci, it really did , I felt so awful I felt like I was back in highschool wanting to disappear ! On top of it I was so happy I got to go out in my new dorky t shirt dress lol http://s59.photobucket.com/albums/g309/deathORdie/?action=view&current=100_6057.jpg But yeah , what a brutally awful week it has been. Sorry for my venting , it is just so crazy how a few rude comments can be so damaging , people really gotta learn to keep their tongues in their mouths!:bigtongue:
I think some people are just nasty. And it is not the hair or any other thing. They just want to be nasty and will always find the reason.
In fact they are very unhappy and pitiful people. Next time someone makes stupid comments about you, just think they are very unhappy people with extremally low self-esteem, and they are nasty to others to make themselves feel better.

[AnnaJamila]

People aren't ever bothered by my hair (the general public never sees it so how could they be? :P ) but you'd be surprised how quick a 50" by 50" piece of chiffon will freak someone out!

[Valdeon]

Actually, I encounter this attitude towards long hair (we are talking classic and below, sometimes waist and below) quite often online.
People say that:
- it reminds them of cousin IT and japanese horror movies (hair quality doesn't matter to them)
- it is extremely impractical and not sexy

Sadly, a lot of people are genuinely appalled by really long hair.

[Xandergrammy]

I'm sure that some people don't care for my hair, but I honestly don't care. I spent so many of my younger years worrying about what other people thought and how I looked to everyone else and now I feel good about myself and pretty content that I don't look like anyone else. Sure, some people think I'm a crazy hippie but I don't think that's necessarily a bad thing. :joy:

[noel11]

Last time I grew my hair out long it was my first real time, and I had no clue what I was doing. My hair is very thick but very fine, so it tangles very easily and would always end up ratted. Now that I actually know what I'm doing, it's not yet long enough to get to that gross out point. I think my hair grosses me out more than it does anyone else because it tangles when I just put it in a pony tail. Makes me feel all sorts of nasty.

But I think I kind of understand the stigma against long hair. I've seen a lot of people with unkempt and damaged long hair--incredibly fuzzed out and split ends, etc. I cringe every time I see those, however, there's a family I know where all the women have long hair, and there's is beautiful. Very well kept. The mother who is in her fifties, has the most gorgeous long gray hair I have ever seen. I used to be friends with her son and would occasionally tell him how much I love his mother's hair. It's the perfect silver long hair.

This all reminds me of a girl from school I know. She hasn't shaved her legs since October and plans to shave them on graduation day, June 2. I was initially grossed out when I found out, but now I'm completely okay with it, unlike a lot of our peers. She's proud of her legs. It started as a bet, but everyone else dropped out. The thing that gets me is she's a completely clean and very well kept person (she has beautiful long blond hair :D ) and it's not a hygiene issue with not shaving. It amazes me how many people are creeped out by the simple hair on her legs.

[Mesmerise]

Something I found is that it was easier to control my hair shed while long. If it's up and not shedding on the baby, then it can't get stuck on the baby's fingers (which they do wrap around and could cause discomfort). Short hair (specially the so called mom bobs) can get in your eyes while changing a diaper... Now that would be hard to deal with!

Actually that reminds me... when one of my kids was a baby (can't remember which lol), he (I think it was one of the boys?) got one of my hairs wrapped around his TOE... and I mean... wow when I found it it was really cutting off the circulation... I had to cut it off (the HAIR not the TOE obviously lol)... and it took a little while to get the hair mark off the toe, but he recovered just fine. Poor little kid! I was always really, really cautious about hair after that.


Wow I am so happy someone decided to make this thread!! Just two days ago I went to the supermarket (was cravin some home made squishy oatmeal cookies) and so im on the check out line. Behind me is a group of guys , I am literally just an earshot away , and geez how obnoxious and rude these guys were they decided to talk about me the entire time! They were talking about how my hair was disgusting , creepy , how I probably think im a vampire ? One of them decided to talk about how long hair is filthy and how I probably do not care about my physical appearance ! YA KIDDIN!! Long hair especially from men and woman here at the LHC is very well cared for , where most people take fifteen minutes heat styling their hair for luxurious curls , we spend hours patiently waiting with a head full of rag curls! Where many buy drug store hair dyes that can permanently damage hair we use the super long process that is henna and sit for sometimes over a day with a glob of henna pigment with the consistency of a cow pie on our heads! :bull: As much as I told myself in my head don't let it get to you Nicci, it really did , I felt so awful I felt like I was back in highschool wanting to disappear ! On top of it I was so happy I got to go out in my new dorky t shirt dress lol http://s59.photobucket.com/albums/g309/deathORdie/?action=view&current=100_6057.jpg But yeah , what a brutally awful week it has been. Sorry for my venting , it is just so crazy how a few rude comments can be so damaging , people really gotta learn to keep their tongues in their mouths!:bigtongue:

Umm wow... you are just gorgeous and I can't imagine any guys anywhere who would criticise you or your beautiful hair?! Maybe that was their way of flirting or trying to attract your attention?? I have known guys that say pretty stupid things in order to get a pretty girl to notice them ;)

[Laurenji]

My DH doesn't want me to grow my hair longer than BSL-ish because he thinks it would "gross" "not attractive" and "only weird people grow their hair really long." I wasn't really planning on growing my hair longer than waist, but I wish he would at least be a little more supportive. Oh well. He's wonderful in other ways, so I don't really mind his hangup about really long hair.

Although I will say, there's this lady in my apartment complex who has classic (maybe even thigh length) red hair that she never does anything with, but just puts in a ratty scrunchy and lets it loose all the time. I always kind of get an "ick" reaction to it, although I'm not sure why. Maybe it's the "unclean" and "unkempt" reaction people were talking about.

[gman4354]

Generally the opinion I've come into contact with so far falls into three categories:
1) "Pretty!"/"I want to grow my hair too!"
2) "It's unprofessional."
3) "Eww."

Personally I ignore 2 and 3, since they're much, much rarer than 1. And hey, as long as you like your hair, it doesn't really matter. :)

You hear number 2 more when it comes to men and the professional business world. Me, being a man growing his hair out (not super long, but longer than most men), my opinion is that long hair is only unprofessional on a man if it is unkempt and dirty. If a man has longer hair and keeps it clean and neatly groomed I don't see any problem with it at all.

As for woman, it really isn't an issue at all. I bet if I were to tell you to describe what you think of when I say the word "woman", you would probably describe a person with long hair.

[redwoman]

I guess I've been lucky. No one I know ever says ick to long hair. And When I wear mine loose people always say "its so long and pretty." Maybe my world is just small....

[RitaCeleste]

I don't know. My SO calls me Cousin It if I don't have it thinned and its long and poofing at the bottom. His objection was to the thickness. I had it thinned twice and while now he thinks I have no "STYLE" he hasn't called me Cousin IT. I wear glasses. Occasionally when calls me Cousin It, I flip it over my face and stick the glasses back on. I can do a really good Cousin It! I don't worry about whether or not some people find me disgusting for whatever reason. I kinda think its their problem. I don't feel bad, they do, their problem.

[MissManda]

I have never had random strangers express disgust toward my hair's length... yet. I almost never get hair comments when I'm in public, but that's probably because I wear it up when I go out most of the time.

I know I've mentioned this on the boards before, but the closest thing to disgust towards my hair was when someone said how "unnatural straightened hair looks on girls." My hair goes 1b-ish very easily, so I felt more confused/weirded out than upset by the comment because I only need a brush to get my hair quite straight and I know I'm not the only person out there with this hair type.

I do have relatives who express disgust toward my hair, but I think that has more to do with my type and texture than the length, although it probably has some sort of impact since said relatives want their hair to be anything but flat and to them, long = flat. :shrug:

What's wrong with having flat hair, anyway? I'm re-learning to like my usually-flat hair. :)

[MeganE]

What would totally rock as a response to those rude boys who discussed error so rudely would be to turn and, politely and curiously, ask why they thought long hair must be dirty.

They'd be so uncomfortable. :stirpot: And you might get some insight into why some people are so uncomfortable with the idea of long hair.

BTW, error is hawt!

Great idea for how to handle it. As I just measured and found that I'm 8 inches away from hip length, I wonder if I'll start getting comments like this... good to be prepared I guess.

And I agree, error is totally hot, with perfectly gorgeous hair.


I have never had random strangers express disgust toward my hair's length... yet. I almost never get hair comments when I'm in public, but that's probably because I wear it up when I go out most of the time.

I know I've mentioned this on the boards before, but the closest thing to disgust towards my hair was when someone said how "unnatural straightened hair looks on girls." My hair goes 1b-ish very easily, so I felt more confused/weirded out than upset by the comment because I only need a brush to get my hair quite straight and I know I'm not the only person out there with this hair type.

I do have relatives who express disgust toward my hair, but I think that has more to do with my type and texture than the length, although it probably has some sort of impact since said relatives want their hair to be anything but flat and to them, long = flat.

What's wrong with having flat hair, anyway? I'm re-learning to like my usually-flat hair.

Oh my gosh, I'd never heard that! My hair has always been fine and super stick straight, and I always preferred the look of wavy hair. Since joining LHC though, I'm starting to really appreciate the fact that I don't have to do anything to my hair in the morning except brush it, unless I want to. I've known a lot of friends with curly hair that needed a lot of management, so I am grateful in that respect. But I never heard anyone say that straight hair looks unnatural! How odd!

[fairystar32]

I have never really had any negatives, a few friends have commented how long it is, but in a positive way.
I had butt length hair as a child though :)

[Quezie]

If long hair is so disgusting, why do people go as far as attaching other peoples long hair to their head to get it?

[TheBluffs]

I let my hair out Thursday, and felt so pretty. then, in my fourth period robotics engineering class, my friend came over, to this was his response:

Oh my - , were THAT come FROM???

I usually were my hair in a braid, so this was a shock to his (First time all winter I let my hair out)

He then proceeded to say:

Cut it to your bra strap or SOMETHING!! It's SO - LONG!!

[noel11]

^ I've gotten similar. Last time I cut my hair, it was in a bob at my ears. It's been about two years and as soon as my hair hit long enough to be pulled back, it was constantly in a pony tail. There are a few days I've let it down. It shocks everyone every time. It's now a few inches past my bra. I love the shock. But I've yet to get a negative response. We'll see in the next couple years when it's waist length.

[Mesmerise]

I have never had random strangers express disgust toward my hair's length... yet. I almost never get hair comments when I'm in public, but that's probably because I wear it up when I go out most of the time.

I know I've mentioned this on the boards before, but the closest thing to disgust towards my hair was when someone said how "unnatural straightened hair looks on girls." My hair goes 1b-ish very easily, so I felt more confused/weirded out than upset by the comment because I only need a brush to get my hair quite straight and I know I'm not the only person out there with this hair type.

I do have relatives who express disgust toward my hair, but I think that has more to do with my type and texture than the length, although it probably has some sort of impact since said relatives want their hair to be anything but flat and to them, long = flat. :shrug:

What's wrong with having flat hair, anyway? I'm re-learning to like my usually-flat hair. :)

If straight hair looked so bad, then the majority of wavy and wurly girls wouldn't own a straightener lol. I see nothing wrong with flat or straight hair anyway!! I think it looks lovely, especially when it's silky and healthy.

I usually think that people who make negative comments about long hair are just jealous ;).

I have always loved long hair, although I do like it to be in good condition. I have seen some women with long hair in the past and thought their hair would be much improved by a good trim (it wasn't the length though, just the condition of the ends... often split etc.).

[sarahbrownie]

Only what's left in the hair drain.

Seriously, my roommates are so dramatic about it. :rolleyes: I was raised with hair always in the drain so it really doesn't bother me, but if I don't stay on top of it I get these passive-aggressive notes taped in the bathroom mirror, and boy does she love her notepad!

No, people don't get freaked out by my hair, it's not that long anyway. It's only BSL. Though they think it's bad that I don't trim (but I succumbed a few weeks ago just from the increase velcro-ness of the ends) and all the odd-smelling treatments I leave in my hair.

[Lamb]

Only what's left in the hair drain.

Seriously, my roommates are so dramatic about it. :rolleyes: I was raised with hair always in the drain so it really doesn't bother me, but if I don't stay on top of it I get these passive-aggressive notes taped in the bathroom mirror, and boy does she love her notepad!


Please don't take this the wrong way, but here is my take on the situation. As someone who shared bathrooms with roommates/flatmates/family most of her life, I have to say I sympathize with your roommate. It's basic hygiene and courtesy to remove your hair from the drain. Just because you were raised differently doesn't mean she has to get over it. I'd probably do something far more "aggressive" as you put it than stick notes on the mirror if I were living with someone who routinely left her hair in the shower drain. :rolleyes:

Hair does disgust some people, there is nothing unnatural about that. Having to pick up someone else's wet, tangled, nasty hair from the drain would make anybody retch. I happen to know from experience what it is like to have to clean up after someone who left her long black hair all.over.the.place.all.the.time. It nearly turned me off long hair for good. :puke:

[ElvenArchess]

For me personally it depends on the length and the health of the hair itself. Being as I live in North Dakota, usually the women who have very long hair are either of a specific area of Christianity who wear their hair in buns or former biker chicks with bleached-platinum hair down to their knees. I saw a girl at Walmart a while back, though, who had the most beautiful, wavy, black hair down to her waistline... I had to resist going up to her and petting her hair, I was so absolutely mesmerized how well she had taken care of it.

[ericthegreat]

Generally the opinion I've come into contact with so far falls into three categories:
1) "Pretty!"/"I want to grow my hair too!"
2) "It's unprofessional."
3) "Eww."

Personally I ignore 2 and 3, since they're much, much rarer than 1. And hey, as long as you like your hair, it doesn't really matter. :)

This has been my experience as well. Its also been my experience that its more about how well someone presents and takes care of themselves. I've seen very beautiful, healthy, well maintained long hair as well as long hair that is full of dead split ends, severely neglected, and looks anything but attractive.

[Macaroni]

Not that I'm aware, no one has ever said anything derogatory to me whether it's up or down.

I occasionally get "Is that all your hair?" or "How long is it/does it take to style it?"

I was in a rush the other a.m. and wore a low, plain ponytail to the grocery. You know how you can "feel" someone watching you? I turned around and an older lady was looking at my ponytail. When I caught her eye she smiled.

[Mesmerise]

Please don't take this the wrong way, but here is my take on the situation. As someone who shared bathrooms with roommates/flatmates/family most of her life, I have to say I sympathize with your roommate. It's basic hygiene and courtesy to remove your hair from the drain. Just because you were raised differently doesn't mean she has to get over it. I'd probably do something far more "aggressive" as you put it than stick notes on the mirror if I were living with someone who routinely left her hair in the shower drain. :rolleyes:

Hair does disgust some people, there is nothing unnatural about that. Having to pick up someone else's wet, tangled, nasty hair from the drain would make anybody retch. I happen to know from experience what it is like to have to clean up after someone who left her long black hair all.over.the.place.all.the.time. It nearly turned me off long hair for good. :puke:

Err well I agree you shouldn't have to clean someone else's hair out of the drain, there's no need to have a hissy fit about it either lol. Yes, if my shower wasn't draining properly, and it was someone else's hair in it, I'd ask if they could clean it... but there's no need to be RUDE when asking. Just a polite, "Can you please clear your hair out of the shower drain?" will suffice.

I mean, I don't clean my shower drains daily either... but yeah, if it needs cleaning, I'll clean it (and my husband has complained in the past at having to clean a wad of hair from the drain... and I said he should just have asked me to do it).

[Nevvie]

I heard a very strange conversation about hair today. I was waiting at the bus stop and two women (one with about chin length hair, the other nearly shoulder length) were discussing highlights. Then somehow the conversation turned to hair length. The woman with the chin length hair said that she hated how her hair looked when it starts flopping around past the shoulder. The other woman then agreed and said she hates the way all hair looks when it gos down the back, how the ends are always uneven and gross and how it just sort of lays there looking flat and tangling. She then went on to say that if someone wants long hair they might as well go for waist length and cut it smooth (whatever that means) because everything between the shoulders and waist looks like crap. I'm not sure how they think a person to get to waist length without first having hair 'hanging down their back' though.

They weren't specifically talking about me and maybe it's my own fault for listening to their conversation, but it just seemed so rude. My hair was down today and I was standing maybe 2 feet away from where they were sitting so I know they saw me and knew I could hear them. My hair is way past shoulder, not yet to waist and has natural V-like, uneven ends so it certainly felt like a insult (though I don't know why total strangers would insult me) and made for a very awkward wait until the bus came. I was so upset that I came home and broke out the scissors even though I was supposed to wait another week before trimming :(

[rosek]

I've never had that reaction before. Mostly people seem kind of awed, the reaction I get most is 'Wow, I didn't know you had that much hair!'

[Finoriel]

Not really. Most reactions I get are just curious. Which isn't surprising since long hair is quite rare here and any updo going beyond a messy bun or ponytail is regarded extremely exotic. So recent reactions were mostly along the lines of "Who did your hair?" or "Where did you get this braided hairpiece? OMG want!" :laugh:

[dollface]

only if it's a deep treatment day :p but that's mostly because my hair is saturated with coconut oil :D

[xoerincolleen]

that's definitely extreme! but, not everyone likes the way long hair looks, just like not everyone likes the way short hair looks.

[Jcv-Shelley]

I think people have opinions and not everyone's are the same. But as long as your happy with it I guess that's what counts right? :)

[ladyveg]

I overheard an older woman telling someone about her sister who looked like a "hag" with her hair "all long and curly." I thought that sounded nice! Wish mine was long and curly! I wanted to tell her, "Well, you SOUND like a real hag!" She was being super nasty about her sister's long hair.

[yotaka]

Wow I am so happy someone decided to make this thread!! Just two days ago I went to the supermarket (was cravin some home made squishy oatmeal cookies) and so im on the check out line. Behind me is a group of guys , I am literally just an earshot away , and geez how obnoxious and rude these guys were they decided to talk about me the entire time! They were talking about how my hair was disgusting , creepy , how I probably think im a vampire ? One of them decided to talk about how long hair is filthy and how I probably do not care about my physical appearance ! YA KIDDIN!! Long hair especially from men and woman here at the LHC is very well cared for , where most people take fifteen minutes heat styling their hair for luxurious curls , we spend hours patiently waiting with a head full of rag curls! Where many buy drug store hair dyes that can permanently damage hair we use the super long process that is henna and sit for sometimes over a day with a glob of henna pigment with the consistency of a cow pie on our heads! :bull: As much as I told myself in my head don't let it get to you Nicci, it really did , I felt so awful I felt like I was back in highschool wanting to disappear ! On top of it I was so happy I got to go out in my new dorky t shirt dress lol http://s59.photobucket.com/albums/g309/deathORdie/?action=view&current=100_6057.jpg But yeah , what a brutally awful week it has been. Sorry for my venting , it is just so crazy how a few rude comments can be so damaging , people really gotta learn to keep their tongues in their mouths!:bigtongue:

You're SO DAMN GORGEOUS. Major major major hair envy. And I love your t-shirt dress. Thundercats rule. :D

[error]

Thundercats HOOOOOO! Lol sorry for that outburst its just cool to see more geeks and thank you so much!

[JulietCapulet]

I think because it's not that common in certain places and people are sometimes frightened by things they are not familiar with. But what could be disgusting about it?

[longcurlygirl<3]

I've always been told "OMG! your hair is so long and prettyyy!!"
i guess bc im really young they think so?

[prosperina]

I've never really understood people with super delicate sensibilities like this. I don't understand it. The only situations that I can think of when I would call hair "gross" is when it's all slimy and covered in conditionner and you have to pick it out of a drain, or when you find a stranger's hair in your food. If it's my hair, I pick it out and resume eating. If it's my mother's hair ( who has really short hair, so she can't pin it back) I do the same.

And the argument that loose hair could be getting dirt/germs on it strikes me as a bit silly. Many things including our clothes, face and hands get dirt and possibly germs on them all the time. You can't live in a totally sterile environment. And if you live in a first world country, you probably live in a relatively clean environment anyway: no garabage in the steets, no sewage in the lakes. However, I never let my hair rest against the back of any chair/seat that is not my own. No need for my hair to get tangled.

I suppose disgust is a visceral, illogical reaction that tells us quite a bit about the psychology of the person expressing it, but I do wish people would be more logical. My briefcase and lap top case are probably much dirtier than my hair!

[thelittleredfox]

My hair is classic length and I frequently get told that it is too long and I should cut it.

I normally wear it in a bun, but if I let it down I get colleagues, friends and family telling me it is too long, often with a slight look of disgust or like they are a bit freaked out by it.

My hair is in very good condition, I don't have fairytale ends or that much taper, so it isn't related to that.

I have red hair and used to get lots of positive comments about my hair until it got a bit longer than mid back. It seems a majority of people are actually uncomfortable about long hair for some reason. I mean, I wear my hair up, so it isn't affecting them. Why do people feel they have the right to tell me how I should cut my hair just because it is long? I'd never say that to anyone.

[rchorr]

The lady that used to live across the street from us was in her 90s. She just DETESTED long hair! I never quite understood why. At 1st, she tried to get me to cut my hair, but I told her I loved it long (even though it's way too thin, right now). Then, after my daughter was born and also had long hair, she tried to get me to cut hers.

The lady that lived next door to her DID cut her hair. But our neighbor died last year, and now the other neighbor had started growing her hair again. Go figure :-/

It seems that either people LOVE long hair (which is why we're all here! ;^) or they hate it. There aren't many folks in the middle.

RCHORR'

[AshNight1214]

That's a terrible thing to have someone tell you! I'm sorry!
I've never had that problem. Most people I've talked to think long hair is beautiful. I get a lot of "I wish I could pull that off." Oh, well. I guess it's sort of like corsets - some people think they're beautiful and feminine, others think they're binding and gross. :(

[AshNight1214]

Then again, I should say that I knew a girl who said hair was her worst nightmare... crazy girl... (sorry, forgot to mention that.)

[annsue83]

I guess there might be some people who cannot take to long hair and it is their own personal opinion of it. I personally dont like long hair that is unkept and unruly. i also think that hair that is beyond the hip flatters better with an updo rather than left open.

just like they say.....beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder ! :)

[RavennaNight]

I must live under a rock. I have never had someone express disgust about long hair. I have had someone ask me, recently, if I was crazy though. The conversation started with the woman saying "Wow your hair is so LONG!" And I was like "thanks! I'm growing it down to here!" and pointed to right under my butt. She said "Are you crazy!?" and her eyes got really wide and shocked looking. :shrug:

IN CONCLUSION: I'm nuts, but nobody is grossed out by it.

[Mesmerise]

I think a lot may just depend on where you live? I see plenty of people around here with long hair (people of all ages), but then again, plenty with short too... and I don't hear negative comments on longhairs at all.

I've been a lot more aware of it since joining these forums as well, so I'm really starting to notice.

For examply, I have an elderly neighbour living next to me. I'm not sure of her age but I'd say 60+ anyway, and she has long hair (I guess somewhere from BSL to waist...it's usually pulled back when I see her). Also the lady across the street from me has long hair, and she's probably late 40s now. Again, I think BSL to waist length (both seem closer to waist than BSL but I don't think either are past waist).

Then, I was in the supermarket the other day, and I saw a couple of women with long hair (I honestly don't usually notice unless hair is really long... to me anything up to waist isn't THAT long so I won't pay that much attention). One was an Indian lady with an English braid that hung past classic length (I guess it would have to be at least mid thigh length when out). She would have been around 50 or so I'd guess (her hair was still lovely and black though), she was with her daughter and grandchild (her daughter just had shoulder length hair). There was another woman with hair hanging loose about hip to tailbone length, hers was long and highlighted blonde, but looked to be in great condition. She looked as if she was in her late 40s or so.

Those two ladies stood out because their hair was LONG! But I think there are a LOT of women in my town who would be BSL to waistish length, both young and older women (although you rarely see it in really elderly women).

So anyway, I wonder if there's more negativity in areas where just about everyone crops their hair past a certain age?? While I wouldn't say a majority of older women here have longer hair, there's certainly a large minority who do, so I never hear any negative comments about it.

[long&blonde]

I hear way more compliments than negativity. But I do get the people freaking out too. It seems funny to me, at 56 I grew up thru the 70s, when sexy good hair meant: Darryl Hannah in Splash. Looking around, the majority of young women today seem to be doing the just above shoulders page boy with frequent trims. It amazes me. Then that amazes me(that I'm amazed!) As what can we count on: but change! I really dislike the overwhelming negativity I get on my hair at the hair salon. And having to quietly take it, while thinking I prefer my hair, 20 times over;to that of all the short haired stylists;badmouthing mine! I realize though, they are trying to sway me into the shorter style with the steady salon visit they could then financially count on. Too bad at 56 I came from the era of Bob Dylan, and "It Ain't Me, Babe!"

[RecklessCharlie]

Well, I've had people freak out over my hair but not in a disgusted way. Usually in a 'OMG its soooo long, eeee!' sort of a way. Even though its not that long by LHC standards!

I suppose if my hair was a grease slick and there were things growing in it people might be disgusted, but I generally try to stay groomed :)

[lindaweb]

i had someone say to me once while i was brushing it,don't you think your a bit old for hair that long,if it was me i'd get a nice bob.it didn't bother me in fact i'm more inclined to grow it really long now just to drive her up the wall with annoyance.nobody in my family has any say, so i don't know why a stranger thinks she has a vote on my hair length,i'm personally of the opinion it's jealousy.

[CrystalStar]

I've found people claim to find long hair 'disgusting' but I think this is a bit of a pre-conception, because in the outside world, a lot of the long hair we see is straightened and frazzled to hell and back!

I think if they were to see all the tailbone length here on LHC which was soft, shiny and thick all the way down they would feel different.

[Vipera Berus]

I have never met anyone who has been disgusted by my hair. Or at least nobody has ever said that to me.
My shed hairs on the other hand cause people to freak out on regular basis.

[cuddledumplin]

The only time I've heard hair called disgusting is when it was obviously extremely dirty.

[Sweet Beat]

Strange reaction O.o
We all are allowed to keep our hair just as we want them, no matter what others are thinking about it...

[Scarlet_Heart]

I've found people claim to find long hair 'disgusting' but I think this is a bit of a pre-conception, because in the outside world, a lot of the long hair we see is straightened and frazzled to hell and back!

I think if they were to see all the tailbone length here on LHC which was soft, shiny and thick all the way down they would feel different.

I agree. A lot of the long hair I see when I'm out (particularly at Walmart for some reason) is just dry, limp, thin, and pretty uncared for. And that's kinda of yucky looking, in my opinion.

And someone said that they were told they were too old for long hair? Wow... on the rare occasion that I see a woman over 60 with long, thick, wavy gray hair, I think... wow, see? You can be utterly beautiful well into your years! That's what I want. I want to still have long pretty wavy hair and wear long, flowy skirts when I'm old. :)

I think it's totally possible to be classy and beautiful no matter what your age, which makes the prospect of growing older a little less dismal.

[Toadstool]

My hair is short, Some people are freaked out when I tell them I am growing out my silver. They think I will look "old". I think I will look my age. I don't have a problem with that.:)

[happybear]

They only time I have been grossed out by someones hair was an old friends sister had waist length hair that was a mess. It was so dry and nasty, she refused to have it trimmed, but she didn't take care of it either. The fairytale ends were so ratty looking. I went to her house once and I think she was shedding at the time, here hairs were everywhere! ugh

[slz]

Sometimes when I let my hair down, I get some nasty-disgusted side looks, which I mostly believe to be jealousy.


ETA : I do not mean necessarily jealousy of the length - not many people wish for extreme lengths, except for here on LHC that is ^^ - but rather, jealousy towards someone who does exactly as they please and seems free enough to venture outside of what is considered "normal".

[dulce]

At 59,I am getting some nasty comments from strangers[trying to be a teenager?]stares and once been pointed at by 2 elderly women with permed very short hair in their 70's who were nodding very disapprovingly and making comments about me as I walked by them.If it's up ,no-one seems to care but if it's down that's when I get this stuff.It's sad there are so many rude people .How someone wears their hair and it's length is no-one else's business.

[growingpains]

I dunno, I think such an attitude can be rude, if expressed to the long haired person. That said, everyone is allowed their preferences. I have the discretion to like x color or x length and think x color/length on the other hand is less attractive or less appealing to me.

That said, the problem would be if I were to express that opinion rudely to a friend/stranger, since what another person does with their body really isn't my business. Also, another problem is that sometimes these preferences are informed by harmful cultural stereotypes and norms. For example, it's one thing for me to prefer hair at a certain length, but it's another for me to have beliefs that longer hair is 'gross' or 'unseemly' or 'not age appropriate'. These negative beliefs are informed by cultural norms about how we 'should' be, and rather than being grounded in truth are grounded in bias and to be challenged!

No one seems freaked out or disgusted by my hair (not that I can tell anyways) but then again my hair is definitely still well in the realm of what is a 'normal' hair length for my age.

[KayBee]

Yes, I've heard some rude comments before. The one I'm going to post about came from a woman I barely knew. She said that she wished she had a pair of scissors and would love to just grab a hold of my hair and cut it off because it was too long. I was like, yeah..ok lady.

[Sweetie]

Kaybee - this is soooo idiot to say!! and it has happened to me, too!

[Idun]

No, I never met that reaction from anyone. But then I very rarely wear my hair down.

[MagicAndMayhem]

I had a friend who, a few years ago, would always tell me to cut my hair because she thought it was unruly. Now, she has waist length hair!!

[Neneka]

People are usually disgusted if I tell them that this hair that I have now in my head has never seen shampoo.

[washurei]

I'm still in high school, and one day I expressed to the guy I like that I wanted my hair to be down just past my butt, the only reply he had was that he was going to have to learn how tho braid. However the Girl who was sitting next to us told me long hair was something " only freaks" had, i looked at her and laughed because her hair was just as long as mine ( mid back).

[WittyWordsmith]

When I had my hair long people always tried to play with it and pet it. I never had anyone make derogatory remarks to me about it, they would just tell me they wished they had my hair.

Now, I have seen some gross long hair that looked like it just didn't get taken care of. To me, why have it if you don't try to take care of it? The only thing I can remember that grossed me out was seeing someone's hair drag on the ground and it had leaves and stuff in those floor-length inches. I can't imagine wanting to literally sweep the ground outside with my hair!

I do agree that everyone has their preferences, but there is a lot to be said about respecting another person's desire to do what they want with their body.

Ok, here's what I don't get. How can someone be too old for long hair?? Traditionally, all women had hair as long as they could grow it. Is it only in the last few generations that this stereotype came about? I really don't understand why people think that older women should have short hair. It makes zero sense to me. Classic length is called classic for a reason.

When I see an older woman with really long hair, I think it makes perfect sense. I just wish I saw people wear their long hair down more often!

[beccababesx]

How rude! My hair is only BSL/MBL so I haven't had any comments like that, but my mum thinks it's "revolting" if I don't wash my hair every day/every other day, and says things like "if there's dirt on your head, insects will lay eggs and hatch there". Sure thing mum! Hahaha. People often say that long hair looks dated and unstylish though... I really don't care because I love long hair and that's all that matters :)

[longhairdntcare]

No but I hope I can get it to that point LOL

[tolly]

so strong a reaction makes me wonder about the green eyed monster. I don't mind people genuinely not liking long hair but no need to be nasty.....

[Xandergrammy]

I once had a friend tell me that he'd ideally like to be with a girl with long hair "but only a little past her shoulders - not freakishly long or anything, that's just weird."

Tact isn't his strong point ;)


I aspire to "freakishly long" hair. :gabigrin:

[Xandergrammy]

Yes, I've heard some rude comments before. The one I'm going to post about came from a woman I barely knew. She said that she wished she had a pair of scissors and would love to just grab a hold of my hair and cut it off because it was too long. I was like, yeah..ok lady.

This has happened to me too and is particularly disturbing to me because my paternal grandmother used to threaten to cut my hair off in my sleep (I was a child and had what I consider short hair then, but still...). I don't understand how some people think.

[ScherzoDeLEON]

I showed a school friend a picture of Cinnamon Hair's hair and they completely freaked out saying it's gross and weird.
Then again, she thinks that BSL is REALLY LONG. ;)

[KayBee]

I don't know if the woman who said that to me was jealous or what. I think she was just freaked out because of how different we are and somebody like me isn't a person that she understands in her world.

I reckon that we are probably the same age. I wear jeans, t-shirts, shorts, flip flops, tank tops pretty much all the time. She has very short hair and wears khakis, polo shirts, and loafers all the time so I think she just has a problem with people not being "like her". She might be one of those people who thinks "women of a certain age" must dress a certain way and cut their hair after they hit 30.

I don't know. I didn't really know what to say to her after she made that comment. I believe I just made an excuse to get away from her. Like "Excuse me, I have to make a phone call" or something ,lol.

[Xandergrammy]

My four year old nephew keeps telling me I should 'get my hair cut'... but I suspect he's just repeating what my sister is saying when I'm not there.

I have had a number of people tell me I need to cut my hair before the baby is born. Why, exactly? I can get away with washing my hair every 5-6 days at the moment. I doubt I could do that with cropped hair. I've been warned it will end up getting smooshed into nappies... apparently I lack the basic intelligence to put my hair up if I'm doing something messy ;)


People are so weird. I've had no problem with babies and diapers regarding my hair (surprise!) but I did find that both my son and my grandson loved to get their little fingers tangled up in it when it was loose. Solution- I wore a lot of braids and updos. Easy.

[Xandergrammy]

I showed a school friend a picture of Cinnamon Hair's hair and they completely freaked out saying it's gross and weird.
Then again, she thinks that BSL is REALLY LONG. ;)


Well, I think your school friend is weird. I love Cinnamon Hair's hair. :inlove:

[Angeletti]

I've been reading through this thread and the comments about people finding long hair disgusting because they feel it's "germy" and "dirty" cracks me up. I guess they must think that we go around sitting on our hair out in public on dirty booths and chairs and that we let our hair drag on toilet seats or something. Or maybe it's that they think our hair is too long to wash? I give up trying to figure out their dumb reasoning : ) So far I haven't had any negative reactions to my hair, but give it time I'm sure and I'll come across a rude person.

[squiggyflop]

i cant say ive ever come across anyone who said those things outloud about my hair.. but ive heard people say that hair thats long enough to touch the ground (floor length hair) is gross.. i sorta understand that as the ground is dirty and i get grossed out if i bend down to pick something up and my hair touches the ground but i think if a person had hair that long they would not actually let it drag on the ground

[MindBeforeMouth]

I think some people think that because long hair is uncommon in older people. It's like when I dress a certain way people will stare. I even had some guy say to my friend do you dress like that everyday? So I think people might think that because it is uncommon and they think it's very diffucult to handle. So they automatically think it is dirty and unkept.

[pittsburgpam]

Unfortunately the ONLY people who have said anything negative are my two 20-something daughters. "Mom!!! When are you going to cut your hair?" "When I'm sitting on it." was my reply. Just this past Mother's Day I went to my son and his fiance's place and her parents were there. Her mother, a little older than me, has hair almost as long as mine! The only comment was from one of my daughters who said, "Be careful when you sit on the toilet..." I'm reallly getting tired of it and need to tell them that I don't like the comments.