How do you feel when people touch your hair?

[based goddess]

Personally, I hate this so damn much. I don't know where their hands have been!
It's also kind of a matter of my personal space.

[woolyleprechaun]

I react with that 'YOURE INVADING MY PERSONAL BUBBLE!!!' feeling. That goes for most things for me though. I get freaked out when people stand too close to talk to me.....:)

[UpNorth]

hate it, a while ago (when I had more girls in my surroundings, in school) they ALWAYS wanted to braid my hair. Thats only ok when I ask them to. Why do people touch other peoples hair? I can't get it, especially if you don't know the person. I think for most long haired guys this is a bigger problem, every guy I know with long hair (even if it is not so good hair) have girls ask them all the time if they could touch it, or braid it. I think they embarrass themselves by doing that.

[Ticky]

I highly dislike it, but I dislike being touched in general.

[auburntressed]

My gut is to say I HATE it. But when I sit here and think about it... dang. I don't recall that anyone has touched my hair in years. Likely not since college at least, and possibly not since I was a teen. Matter of fact, it's been years since anyone has touched me at all, anywhere. Probably the last time was the last time I visited my super touchy-feely family, which was like three summers ago. Maybe four? Yeah, four I think... my nephew was a tiny baby, and he'll be four this summer.

Anyways... I remember in the past feeling awkward and intruded upon when my personal space was violated. But it's been a long enough time since anyone was close enough to violate my space that I don't recall much how the feelings feel.

[slynn41202]

I don't like it if I don't know them, and it creeps me out even if it's an accident.

My younger-than-me supervisor once asked if he could pull my hair. That was weird.

I usually don't mind people I know playing with my hair, as long as I trust them not to tie knots in it, or damage it.

[CSallaround]

I become afraid they'll damage it. But I like it when my boyfriend plays with my hair. He's african so when we first got together he was pretty fascinated with how soft and smooth my hair was lol

In general not a lot of people touch my hair. My family does sometimes and it annoys me when my grandmother rearranges my hair when I put it a certain way.
I would probably feel a little awkward if strangers asked to touch my hair

[Jing]

The only people who touch my hair apart from me are my husband and my family. I don't mind except when it results in a messed-up updo. It's damn near impossible to get my hair to lie nicely when it's pulled back because it all grows forward. Guh!

[Amber_Maiden]

Can't stand it- invasion of my personal space.

[Idjit]

No one touches my hair, really. The whole idea seems weird to me though. I mean, you wouldn't just walk up to someone and grab them anywhere else if you don't know them well so why would you grab their hair?

My boyfriend plays with my hair sometimes when we're cuddling and that's totally fine because thats the nature of cuddling and he's ok ;).

Other than that, I work in childcare so if my hair isn't up, which it is 90% of the time, then I may have some little hands in it. But they're children, they don't understand personal space. I'll have someone jump in my lap just to ask me a question and then run off, so I don't blame them.

I did have a kid tell me my hair was like Tangle's (Rapunzel) and pet it the other day. But that was cute so I let it go.

So it all depends on the context!

[Anlbe]

People don't touch my hair, or me in general. My vibe makes it perfectly clear not to invade my personal space.

[BrightEyes]

I like it when my DH touches my hair, and my DS3 will sometimes pet my head like I'm a cat. Outside of my immediate family, I don't like people touching my hair.

[Vampyria]

If it's a close friend, boyfriend or family member I like it, and like to play with their hair as well, otherwise I don't like it at all.

[spidermom]

This subject comes up so often, and it always surprises me because either my hair is non-touch-worthy, or people around here simply don't do it. The only times someone other than family has touched my hair was once at a Christmas party by a young man with Down syndrome and a 4th of July party when an elderly woman touched it while telling me how magnificent it looked as I was re-doing a bun. The Down syndrome guy kind of bothered me because he didn't want to let go so his dad had to pry his fingers out of my hair.

[KAggs]

My hair isn't long enough (yet!) to be looked at. We'll have to see what reactions it receives once it gets there. The only one who touches it now is my boyfriend. If someone asks, and I know them, then they can touch. But random people? Not so much.

The only time people have touched my hair was when I was in second grade and girls used to play/braid other girls' hair! That was fun. :)

[Charlottie]

I don't mind if it's by close family, but I wear my hair up in public because I'm so paranoid about people touching it. I wish people didn't feel so compelled to touch a person's hair just because it's very long u_u;

[Kittykins]

I don't mind if my mum or boyfriend do as long as they are careful. But DBF's little sister messes the top of my hair up on purpose and I don't think I'd be comfortable with strangers.

[ohmygackt]

I hate when random people off the street will walk up to my and start petting or playing with my hair and saying "Oh woooow its sooo long!" or "Wow so pretty!" Then im just like who the hell are you >.> thats why i usually put it up when i go out
But if its friends or family I don't mind as much. Unless they pull my hair like one of my friends do, but I think she might be a little jealous :/

[Zesty]

No one really touches my hair. I think I've gotten a few light touches from acquaintance-friends when they see it down for the first time, but in the same way that they'd touch me on the shoulder or something (usually they kind of touch my arm at the same time). Other than that, usually it's my boyfriend or family doing it to bug me, which I don't like, but it's not horrible. But I know I would dislike a random stranger sticking their hands in my hair.

[Tisiloves]

Generally it creeps me out, but I like it when my mum strokes my hair, it makes me feel like I'm five again :)

[kemacr5]

I call them out on it, especially if I'm not super fond of that person anyways. "Do you realize that you're violating a social parameter by invading my space and making me feel threatened?" lol;)

[Slug Yoga]

Huh, now that I think about it, no one really touches my hair. It's up almost all the time, so that might be part of it. Maybe if it was down people would feel more inclined to grab at it, which I think would mildly bother me, though not very much.

I remember being in elementary school and having long hair, which I always wore down. Every now and then other girls would ask to play with my hair (like they would for other girls as well), and I enjoyed that... it was flattering to think they found my hair pretty and wanted to play with it, and it felt nice...a bit like when your head gets a massage and the salon during washing.

[Astraea]

I must give off a look that screams OCD because people don't. I've seen too many gruesome nose, ear, netherworld, tooth, eye, nail picking expeditions in public places to allow anyone to ever do so. Even my mother and sister ask hesitantly, Lol!

[Die]

I love it when people touch my hair. One of my favorite memories from this last Christmas, when I visited my nephews was the four-year old spending an hour playing with my hair. Then he announced that he wanted to be a hair-dresser when he grew up. I love it when my husband plays with my hair. I love it when my friends play with my hair.

But I grew up with sisters. We spent our childhoods playing with one another's hair.

[Firefly]

This thread comes up often, and I always hesitate to post-- but I LOVE having my hair touched! That said, people rarely do.... as someone up thread said, it's just really not something that is done (or at least seen) around here.

[Neneka]

No one really touches it but I wouldn't like it. Even I avoid touching my own hair if I don't wash my hands first.

[IvanaGil]

People try, but I don't let them. Even if they ask for permission, I don't allow it. I don't care if you're my mom or my DH, DO NOT touch my hair! It's so irritating. I don't like being touched at all by anyone.

[Lucky_Lucy]

I usually hate it, but it depends on who is touching it and if they're gentle or not. I surely wouldn't let mom do it(she actually destroyed some knots by combing right through at full speed and power T_T and well she was violent towards my hair so I wouldn't let her touch it, it makes me feel really uncomfortable...). I usually don't let strangers or even friends touch my hair(only if I know they're good with hair or if they want to braid it, it doesn't bother me as long as they ask, since it's going to turn out pretty in the end :D), but I'd let a guy that I like touch it if he was gentle and praised my hair. :D That's happened to me before and I didn't feel scared that my hair would be ruined.

[Tota]

It depends who wants to touch my hair. I let people I know to do what they want with my hair if that makes them happy (ofcourse there are some boundaries). People I don't know - back off or you'll be sorry ;)

[DarkCurls]

Eek.
I get people touching my hair all the time, because it's curly and I wear it down (I just like my hair better down) and I'm still in high school.
Usually it's my friends, they'll pick out a particularly well-defined curl, pull on it, and watch it spring back up. But they don't pull harshly or anything, it's always in a light, teasing way, and we have a good laugh about it. I don't mind that so much. (Plus they ask first.) I don't like it, though, if someone ruffles my hair or runs their fingers through it -- because I don't want the curls to be messed up, and because I just don't like to have people touching my hair too much. I tend to pull away sharply, even if it's a friend, which earns me an offended WTH is your problem? reaction, but whatever.

Once I was pushing my way through our tiny hallway as usual, it was packed with three lines of kids going in two different ways and I was in the middle line. Someone yanked on my hair to watch the curl spring back up; I turned around but couldn't see who it was. It freaked me out! I hate people touching my hair without my permission, especially strangers. What makes them think they have a right to do it, just because my hair is curly/long-ish? :confused:

Plus it hurts.

[Xila]

For me, it depends upon a few variables... Namely what they're doing and the condition of my hair. Not even who it is, really.

For example, if my hair is clean (Say its Monday- I wash Sunday night, usually) and my friend pats my head (I have a friend who does that) I'm fine with it. If its Friday and she does it, I get a bit anxious because I know my hair can be kinda greasy by then and I'm afraid she'll notice.
Ditto for various other hair interactions- tugging, smelling (Yup, been there...), petting, etc.
Touching (or other interactions) doesn't bother me, regardless of location or person, as long as I'm satisfied with the way my hair is that day.

As for what they're doing, general touching is okay, but typically I don't let people brush/braid/etc my hair because I know they won't treat it as gently as I'd like. (And/or for the aforementioned reason.)

As for how it makes me feel, I'm fine with it as long as I like my hair that day and they're being nice with it. Otherwise I get a bit anxious-- but even then, I'm not bothered enough by it to tell them off/etc. Who it is doesn't affect my reaction, either; I've had everyone from my family to my best friends to random people touch my hair. Unless their hands are obviously unclean and/or they give off some really creepy vibes, I'm alright with letting them touch it.

I do feel kinda awkward just standing there while they touch it... I'm neutral about it, I guess. I don't dislike it, but I don't particularly like it, either. I don't think its worth making a big deal out of, though.

[rach]

Don't like usually. People think course hair is awful and i hate that reaction .
Also most don't know how to brush hair which is long (you brush from the bottom up not the other way round? dah)

[OilPaint]

I'm on the fence on this topic... leaning toward creeped out. :suspect:
Most of the time I grin and bear it and find a polite/subtle way of getting away or at least getting my hair back from them. Often times when people start asking me about my hair I find myself playing with the ends so that I already am holding it and they feel awkward grabbing it since I'm holding it...

There are some exceptions though. There are some older members of our community that will talk about how long their hair used to be, or how my hair (and often times my outfit) reminds them of a certain point in their life and they'll ask about its weight and if they could touch it. I don't mind that. I also don't mind little kids that are fascinated by it, even though I cringe on the inside if I know they've got sticky fingers.

:crazyq:I sometimes wonder how some people would react if I came up to them and gave them a similar treatment though:
"Oh, wow! You've got such big feet! Can I touch them?"
"Oh wow! Your skin looks so soft! Hey honey, come check out this girl's skin!"

[lolot]

I hate it so much!!
The other day i washed my hair and i have to go out, i was wearing it loose and damp so it will air dry and a very disgusting neighbor put his disgusting hands in my wet hair, it was really annoying :mad:
He is a crazy man so i couldnt say anything

[sparrowswing]

It's mostly dependent upon the situation for me. If it's someone I'm close to, and they have some idea of how to handle hair, I really like it... assuming they don't surprise me with it. Few things freak me out as much as not knowing someone is behind me and suddenly having my hair messed with.

Then again, DBF knows every step of my hair-care routine and has watched in fascination many a time as I brushed my hair, yet he still insists on rubbing the top of my head back and forth as if I were bald. I've tried several times to explain about frizz and tangles and how he's basically back-combing it, but he's almost never aware that he's doing it. It drives me up the wall, and usually turns a sweet cuddle into that nails-on-the-chalkboard feeling. So how they touch my hair factors in heavily as well.

It doesn't really come up much, though. I think most people around here are pretty respectful of personal boundaries.

[braidgirl22]

I don't really like people touching my hair that I don't know creeps me but I try to be nice about it.

[PixxieStix]

If it is someone I know and I trust them, I love it! I love having my hair played with especially.

Now, if someone came up and randomly touched my hair without my knowledge/permission to do so, I would react much like I was in karate practice, and that person would not be pleased.

[HintOfMint]

I'm actually fine with touching. Strangers don't usually try to touch me, so that's a non issue. And most people, until they get to know me, don't realize that I'm very welcoming of physical affection (hugs, cuddles, shoulder rubs and the like). I come off as very standoffish at first, so it's understandable that someone thinks that I wouldn't welcome someone touching my hair. So, if anyone touches my hair, it is usually a friend and it is a sign of affection, so I welcome it.

[fairystar32]

If its a stranger that randomly touches my hair then that would freak me out
However at home I LOVE having my hair messed with. I would sit for hours or pay someone to play with my hair :)
My kids always play with my hair and I love it..

[FireFromWithin]

I actually love having my hair played with. I think if a stranger did it it would be wierd but it's never come up (strangers randomly coming up and touching any part of you is wierd, why some people think it's ok to approach people and touch their hair because it's long or pretty I will never understand. You don't go up to someone and touch their face because their skin is soft, or their boobs because they are large). I do have to stop my bf playing with my hair when we are in bed though, because it's always caught on something and ends up pulling.

[4C4rly4]

I loveee when people play with my hair. It's so relaxing, and it gives me chills.

But I guess if I had really long hair and people randomly started playing with it, then yea I'd probably get annoyed.

[oddelabop]

Would have to say it totally depends on who is touching it and how theyre touching it.

I hate randomers grabbing hold of it - like my old ex boyfriends sister. She used to be fascinated by it and would just grab it and start plaiting it - to be polite I couldn't really tell her to get the hell off my hair haha.

But if my ex used to play with is gently I had no problem with that - Kinda feels nice :)

[Mya]

I loveee when people play with my hair. It's so relaxing, and it gives me chills.
Me too. Unless it's some brat with sticky fingers.

[Elanadi]

I don't like people touching my hair, for the most part; but I also don't like being touched by people. If my hair was down and one of my close friends wanted to touch it, then I wouldn't mind, but I generally send off 'don't touch me' vibes so no one usually does.

[Seeshami]

I hate creepy people who touch or smell my hair. No it doesn't happen every day or all the time but it does happen at least 5-6 times in a year. I always point it out to the people around me too once it's happened, once they notice the tend to watch out for me a little more and then helps me feel safer.

[Alexblue]

When I had longer hair I certainly had a few random people try to touch it but even then it was pretty rare. I certainly didn't like it when they were strangers and I was also perplexed why you'd want to touch a stranger's hair.

That said, with friends or my DH then I love it! It's fun having your hair played with and most people are very gentle.

[juicy-glitter]

I HATE it HATE it HATE it. First of all, where have your hands been? hands and sweaty fingers gross me out. Second of all, do you know how long it took me to learn this up do and actually put it in my hair? I would appreciate it if you didn't come in and mess it all up, even though I know you think the braids are "SO COOL"

Does anyone else feel after someone even touches your up-do, your head suddenly feels un even?

[faellen]

I don't mind too much. Usually I'm precious about my personal space, but sometimes I feel quite complimented that someone thinks my hair is nice enough to touch. Doesn't happen often! Lol!

[nobeltonya]

So far, I haven't had people just come up and fondle my hair [which I guess I wouldn't mind terribly if they're gentle.. :D ].. but I dislike how it gets trapped under arms when hugging people if it's down.. and I feel awkward having to flip it to the front so it's not in the way.. :rolling:

[amanda_the_tall]

no one's touched my hair since high school. they used to squeal and say 'it's baby hair!'

[Thenolegirl]

I don't like people touching my hair at all unless it's my boyfriend, mother, or a veeeery trusted hairdresser that my mom and I go to. I don't know where random people's hands have been. :p

[LaUvas]

If it's close friends or family it's ok, but I don't like strangers to touch it AT ALL. I'm not very scrupulous about personal space, but I just can't stand it.

My worst experience was at a night out with my friends a few months ago, while we were at a really packed bar. I was wearing my hair down, and on my way to the bathroom suddenly this random guy grabbed my hair as I walked by, and when I turned around to give him the angriest 'what the hell you think you're doing' look he just stared at me in a super creepy sexual way. Yuck. Every time I remember it, I regret not punching him on the face.

[ariesfairies]

..I must be the black sheep because I'd actually feel totally flattered if someone asked to touch my hair.
Though here I say "ask". If they don't my first assumption is they want to damage it (gum, etc) or pull it threateningly. And mm... maybe not just any stranger, I'd do a quick examination of them for their own cleanliness. But whenever a girl at school or someone would ask if they could touch my hair I wouldn't mind because pretty much all of them I remember who did ask wanted to touch it because they didn't have curls of their own.

[1nuitblanche]

Generally I don't mind. I like it when people play with my hair. However, I get creeped out when someone I don't know very well gets too close.

[Dr. Hank McCoy]

So it all depends on the context!

I have to agree. I like it whe someone I know/like/trust plays with my hair. For example, I went home recently and one of my sisters snuck up on me and started to french braid my hair. It was kinda funny and she got a kick out of it.:D But if some rendome person just walks up and starts "petting" it.... that would be very awkward :confused: ........(good think that hasn"t happenes yet)

[Shepherdess]

I frequently have people wanting to touch my hair (mostly perfect strangers). I generally don't mind, as long as they seem friendly (it's usually just middle-aged ladies, elderly ladies and children anyway). :)

[sometimesginger]

My hair is curly, so I always feel like they're going to flatten out my curls :/ I always swat their hands away and go "No touch!!"

[blaketob]

ALL my friends make fun of me because I FREAK OUT when someone touches my hair. I don't know how to explain it, I just feel like why are you rubbing your greasy, dirty fingers in my hair. glad to know I'm not the only one with this annoyance :)

[Vanille_]

I LOVE having my hair played with or brushed. Of course, I'm not talking random strangers. If someone asked to touch my hair, I'd be flattered. (unless it was a creepy situation)

[Jade_Pixie]

I adore when friends or family touch my hair but can't imagine strangers touching it ewww *shudders*

[miss_rv]

It really doesn't bother me, I'm not headsore. I sometimes get a shock when people randomly come up and touch it but I don't mind, normally people want to see if it's real :)

[Suguru]

I personally love the feeling of having my hair played with - I always have. My little sister and I always used to braid each others hair and I still play with my sisters' all the time. I do the same with my mum and a lot of my friends (especially a few of my curly-haired friends (I've always had a fascination with the bounciness of curly hair!), however if I know they don't like it, I obviously don't.

The exception to the I-like-having-my-hair-played-with rule is when the person playing with my hair is a four-year-old girl with sticky fingers who wants to comb it for me but doesn't understand about starting at the bottom and working her way up. Not only did it hurt when my little cousin tried to do my hair, I lost a fair bit of it in the process :eek:. I've taken to suggesting she practice hair styles on one of our other cousins with hair that is long but not too long!

I've never had a stranger or casual acquaintance touch my hair or ask to.

[WinterDream]

Can't stand it- invasion of my personal space.

This - only my husband is allowed to do it.

[letibear]

It depends; children are often curious about my hair and want to touch it, so I don't mind that.

Adults will usually say something about the curls and run their fingers through it - which causes pouf and frizzies. Never fails. :(

[kpzra]

If it's someone I know well, I didn't mind IF they asked first. I had a few random people touch it when it was at it's longest, one got their hand smacked. Hubby is allowed to touch/play with it without asking first.

[EyeFuzz]

No one really touches my hair but I would have to feel comfortable with someone to allow them to touch it. Perhaps family or a significant other.

[hinkypunki]

My best friend has magic fingers and when she plays with my hair and rubs/scratches my scalp, my head is in magical super special awesome heaven :P
I come from a place where people start standing in the bus rather than sitting next to a stranger so I don't think I'll ever have a problem with strangers touching it...

[pink.sara]

I believe I posted in an earlier thread about the same subject that if a stranger touches my hair they "draw back a bloody stump" and I stand by that.

I dont wander up with my god knows when they were last washed paws and put them all over your face do I? Keep it to yourself wierdo.

Family and friends though I don't mind. When SO brushes it it's quite relaxing.

[Shiranshoku]

I adore it when people play with my hair. When I was in kindergarten I used to ask the caretakers to check me for lice because I enjoyed the feeling so much. Weird, lol :p

However no one but me can brush or comb my hair. I don't brush anymore, and the noise of the hairs stretching and snapping gives me goosebumps.

I haven't had random strangers asking to touch it though, so I don't know how I'd respond to that. Probably :patrol: bad :p

[RileyJane]

My first thought: " omggg, did they wash their hands lately?!" my second thought: " oh please please dont pull on it, I dont want any split ends!" but normally the people who touch my hair are gentle and dont cause any split ends, but stilll. its just kinda weird

[catamonica]

I don't like it. These people might have unclean hands. I only want my husband to touch my hair. No one wants strangers, touching their hair. It's an invasion of my space.

[Winnie!]

For me it really depends on who it is. I want my mom to style my hair sometimes. My friend also tries to style my hair sometimes. However, she is rather rough with it. :( I'd rather she didn't touch it. Strangers? That is out of the question, they will not touch any part of me if I have any say in it. :p

[spirals]

My friends know the rule: "Don't touch spirals' hair." It's only because I'm prone to frizz. I'd rather they touch the hair than something else.

[Jeno86]

As long as it is someone I know, then I'm okay with it. However, if some random person I have never met comes up and starts messing with my hair, I get annoyed and it shows.

[Kyla]

If a stranger did it, I would flip out. None of my friends do it without permission or some intended purpose (like braiding it, but that rarely happens). I would feel pretty uncomfortable if even my family did it, but more because it would be such an unusual thing for them to do.
DBF touches my hair and I don't mind, as he knows to avoid doing anything damaging. :)

[ssjhotau2]

It's really weird lol. I work with the public and when I leave my hair down or let it down to redo an updo, people just HAVE to touch it. :/
I'm guessing the henna color/shine is unique enough that people can't help themselves?
Or do normal people think it is okay to touch strangers?

[umbrellabones]

depends on who it is(;

[Alexandriaweb]

I don't mind so much if they ask, random bus creepers get a warning that if they don't stop it I will report them to the police (it is classed as assault in the UK I found a while back), about six months back some guy on a bus wouldn't stop tugging at my hair and the driver put him off the bus.
I felt so dirty when I got home :/

[minxe]

In general I hate being touched and having my personal space invaded, but I love love loooove it when people touch my hair. I think it's really relaxing!

[Dee38753]

It doesn't bother me too much. I guess that is a good thing since I teach school and sometimes the kiddos touch my hair.

[Thinthondiel]

I wouldn't want a stranger to touch my hair, but then that has never happened to me. I love it when people I know play with my hair. :)

[Lady Neeva]

Depends on the person.

[snowcloud]

I have had a couple girlfriends that didn't want to me to touch their hair at all.. But I would have to agree with Juicy Glitter.. You can't trust where must peoples hands have been :rolleyes:

[shutterpillar]

I typically don't mind if they ask first, though I have not had any random people come up and try to touch it. It's always friends or family, and even then I would prefer they ask me first.

I do love it when my husband touches my hair, though. He can touch it all he wants.

[jojo]

No I don't like it, I prefer people to look with their eyes than put their mits on my hair!

[Bene]

Similar threads, with great answers here (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=55841) and here (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=46273), that I can remember off the top of my head.

[Ciridae]

I don't mind if its someone I know, although my hair is not long enough yet to be covetable. On the other hand, DH's hair is now almost BSL and disgustingly gorgeous, ugh. There are so many cute, much younger girls who are always wanting to touch his hair because it is so silky looking and he wears it loose. We work in the same building and I must admit to being jealous and a little freaked out that so many women want to mess with his hair. He doesn't mind so much, but I most certainly do! :slap:

[ahrph]

I don't like it. I'm very protective if my personal space. Though I don't really mind if it's a little kid who is fascinated by my hair.

[DancingQueen]

I get slightly annoyed, but mostly because I rarely have a hair day where my hair feels amazing. And when I do, people always touch it and mess it up. But I guess it is just me ring silly, they mean well. And if someone offer me a good scalp massage, I won't say no! :D

[prettykitty]

I'm slightly standoffish, so people don't touch me too much. SO touches it happily, and I've taught him to please 'pet it with the grain'. An acquaintance once reached out and ran my braid through her hands because 'it's so perfect!', I was a little shocked but not upset. If a stranger touched it, I'd just tell them not to touch me.

[fairy666tale]

I don't really care about it as long as I know the person. If I wouldn't feel awkward touching their hair (or wiping a bit of dust from their clothes. You know, just regular touching someone), then I don't mind if they touch my hair, or braid it or whatever.

But if a random stranger touches it... Well, it's not really that I find it gross or anything. It's rather that I don't understand their logic. I'm not an animal in a petting zoo, so why just assume you can touch me?

[gthlvrmx]

only if i let them. if not, then i back away cuz they could be causing some damage! XD plus its rude to touch someones hair without their permission.

[embee]

Don't like it. Had a boyfriend who loved to brush my hair, and that was ok for a bit, but got old.

I think it's a personal space thing. I'd probably let DD brush my hair until I wanted to do something else.

It's one af the big reasons I quit going to a salon. That and the money. ;) A drop in income can really change the ideas of "important".

[blondie9912]

My hair isn't nearly long enough to illicit the "Oh wow, can I play with/feel your hair?" reaction, but I'm hesitant to even let friends or family members comb or (especially) style it. I am very afraid they will damage it because I have rather fragile hair.

[domisimone]

I don't like when strangers touch my hair, but sometimes my friends and family will casually boing one of my curls, which I'm okay with as long as they don't do it too much or make a big deal out of it. I also really like it if people ask first--"Your hair looks soft. Can I feel it?"

[Coolcombination]

I don't mind people pulling a curl and watching it spring up but running their fingers through it would make me cringe especially if they pulled at a knot! Grrr

[letdownyourhair]

I love it! Especially if they play with it. It feels amazing!

[rtree721]

I don't like my hair being touched for many reasons: invasion of personal space, my hair is fragile, the person may damage it, I am self conscious of how it feels... with that being said, if someone asks nicely I will say yes and my boyfriend can touch my hair whenever he wants.
My big sister and my mother both love their hair being played with... but they aren't really concerned about damage or personal space.

[Sarahlabyrinth]

I wouldn't mind if it was friends and family. Strangers have never asked but if they did I probably wouldn't mind as long as they were gentle. And depending obviously on circumstances.

[Tota]

I don't like it because I'm afraid they'll tangle or damage it. But hearing stuff like "it's so soft" or "it's like silk" makes it all better ;)

[Achlys]

I have always enjoyed the feeling of somebody touching or, especially, styling my hair. It makes me all warm and fuzzy inside. The same goes for someone else doing my makeup or generally paying attention to my body, particularly when it involves prettying. If the person messing with my hair isn't gentle enough, though, then I will snap.
But if a stranger came and felt my hair, I would be weirded out.

[Loveisaverb]

I loveee it when people mess with my hair or scalp, for some reason it feels so good and relaxing.

[DarkCurls]

If it's a close friend or family only smoothing their hand over the canopy, I don't mind too much because there's either an admiration factor or affection behind the gesture and that's always nice. (Even though it would be nicer if they just patted my arm or something).
However, I am ridiculously intolerant of anyone else doing anything else -- running their hands through it (yeeouch!), boinging a curl (yeeeouch!), or strangers/people I don't like even just touching it. Hands off, it's mine.

[Fortresca]

If I'm prepared, someone wants to touch my hair, then I can be okay with it. And sometimes I even ask people to touch my hair - to show how smoothe it is after a now conditioner or something.

But people I don'T like or don't know or just touch my hair without asking, I could go crazy. It's inappropiate. I don'T touch someone'y body and comment on it. So why should they be allowed to do so with my hair?

[melusine963]

I don't like it, although I'll tolerate it depending on who's doing the touching. I find that people handling my length results in frizz, tangles, and ruined updos. People touching the canopy very quickly leads to greasy hair. I try not to hurt people's feelings, so more often than not I don't say anything.

[clairenewcastle]

Quivers......I love it.
I'm surprised that so many people have posted on this thread saying that they don't like it

[*Rose Red*]

I don´t like it. I allow it only to the people that I like or love, for me touching my hair is something very intimate.

[Nae]

I find that at a LHC meet I don't mind at all. Quite fun really.

[thisisnttakenye]

A lot of people are saying how much they hate it... my hair isn't really long enough for strangers to have a fascination with it, but I actually really like it when other people braid/play with my hair

[Nique1202]

When I worked with friends at a call centre, they'd frequently come over to my desk and start braiding, twisting, and generally playing with my hair, or they'd find seats near me so they could do it all day long. I've never had long enough hair that strangers asked to touch it, though I'm very non-touchy so I don't let people get close enough to touch me if I can help it anyway.

[Majala]

I think it's a loving and gentle gesture when someone that's close to me caresses my head/hair. And not only do I not mind, I love it.

[-j-]

People don´t touch my hair. I guess they know they shouldn´t.
My boyfriend touches it sometimes and that´s okay, but not okay for anyone else.

[raingirl]

I love it. I would love it if I had someone who offered to do my hair more often. It's a comfort thing for me. I love it when someone else does my hair/brushes it, etc.

[chen bao jun]

Probably I don't have proper boundaries but most of the time I don't mind.

I don't have very long hair at the moment (just slightly past shoulders) but all my life people have seemed to want to touch my hair--I don't know why. Because it's very thick? Because it's curly? I'm black, but black people have always wanted to touch it too. I'm kind of used to it, I guess. And then people usually say, 'it feels so nice'. Which is a compliment, in my opinion. I haven't had people mess up my hair. They just sort of pat it gingerly usually.

What is funny that happens a lot is that a kid will touch it, and their parents will say, "oh, don't do that" and I'll say, oh I don't mind and then the parent will say, "oh, can I touch it too?"

The only thing I have to say that feels creepy to me is people that touch my hair behind my back, so that I can't see who it is, especially in some anonymous situation. I spent some time in China 30 years back when people weren't used to foreigners and I would be riding a bus or something and feel hands in my hair and I would turn around and everybody would sort of be looking ostentatiously away and I used to HATE that.

Or of course if some guy does it in a way that feels inappropriate.

Interestingly, my DH is the only person who doesn't seem interested in touching my hair at all adn seems entirely disinterested in it. I'm a little hurt by this, actually.

[Samitra]

I wear my hair up except for parties and when I'm at home/at my parents' house, so not many people besides my boyfriend and my family are tempted to touch it. But when I wear it down or in a high pony tail at parties and other events, friends and acquaintances might put their hands in my hair. I don't mind, they're usually fascinated because they rarely see it down: some haven't seen me wear it down since I had short hair and some have never seen it down. My hair doesn't look so long when it's up, so people are surprised by its lenght. And even if they just start touching without asking, they are being quite respectful about it, no raking through the lenght witht their fingers, no messing it up...

So my experiences with people touching my hair are only good ones. I imagine that I would react differently to strangers touching my hair though or even asking to! Small children excepted of course: at a party, a for me unnknown child (probably 3yrs or so) sat down beside me at dinner and started getting all tangled up in my hair while muttering "pretty, pretty". I was a bit disturbed by getting couscous in my hair, but she was very gentle and when asked she did wipe her hands after having ice cream, before getting back to petting my hair :D Her parents were so embarrased!

[JamieLeigh]

I don't like it when people touch my hair, unless they are family members or people I'm very familiar with. Strangers in a store, oh hell no! I know for a fact that a lot of people don't wash their hands after they use a public toilet, so no thank you!!

[jlb]

I've been following this thread with interest because i've never had anybody touch my hair except for the occasional family member. Now in the past week 2 different co-workers have taken to, I guess you'd call it, petting my hair & saying how much they wish it was theirs. They're both nice ladies probably 10-15 years older than me but frankly, i'm finding it kind of creepy. I haven't decided what if anything to do about it.

I usually wear my hair down @ work, but sometimes I put it back in braids or up with a hairstick. Those hairstick days realy bring on the comments & rope braids do for some reason as well. Maybe this whole hair touching thing goes on more than I think.

[MocBirdie]

Yeah, I've had quite a few people ask to touch my hair...a lot of them are strangers. Which I find really weird, I would never dream of asking/wanting to touch a strangers hair.
Hair to me is just as personal as any other part of the body.
I usually respond with a polite 'no.' unless I really know the person....it doesn't help that my scalp is extremely sensitive and someone touching my hair can either feel really painful or really REALLY good...if you know what I mean ;) ...yeah it might be uncomfortable to try and explain to a stranger why I'm bliss-ed out and purring.......eck! Too awkward!

[piffyanne]

Yeah, I've had quite a few people ask to touch my hair...a lot of them are strangers. Which I find really weird, I would never dream of asking/wanting to touch a strangers hair.
Hair to me is just as personal as any other part of the body.
I usually respond with a polite 'no.' unless I really know the person....it doesn't help that my scalp is extremely sensitive and someone touching my hair can either feel really painful or really REALLY good...if you know what I mean ;) ...yeah it might be uncomfortable to try and explain to a stranger why I'm bliss-ed out and purring.......eck! Too awkward!


I'm there too with the really, really, good thing. I give DBF positive reinforcement, but he doesn't do it enough yet, lol. ;)

I thought I'd be ok with it, but I had it down at a Civil War reenactment this summer while waiting for a photo to be taken, and felt NAKED (I sorta get into the mentality of the period sometimes, and women kept their hair UP unless they were safely at home with their family.

Some strange man came up from behind and touched my hair without even announcing my presence, and I went right past "oh, there's someone behind me" for full-on terrified he was going to do something to me/it.

I had to ACT polite but I was mentally SCREAMING release-it-and-go-away-now, he tried to get into a conversation while STILL HOLDING ONTO MY HAIR shudder: shudder: shudder:

[zombi]

Any time any one touches me any where without my permission it makes me really angry. My body is not public property. Do not touch me without my permission. I will become very angry with anyone who does this.

[MocBirdie]

I'm there too with the really, really, good thing. I give DBF positive reinforcement, but he doesn't do it enough yet, lol. ;)

I thought I'd be ok with it, but I had it down at a Civil War reenactment this summer while waiting for a photo to be taken, and felt NAKED (I sorta get into the mentality of the period sometimes, and women kept their hair UP unless they were safely at home with their family.

Some strange man came up from behind and touched my hair without even announcing my presence, and I went right past "oh, there's someone behind me" for full-on terrified he was going to do something to me/it.

I had to ACT polite but I was mentally SCREAMING release-it-and-go-away-now, he tried to get into a conversation while STILL HOLDING ONTO MY HAIR shudder: shudder: shudder:

Wow! I hate it when people come up behind me and touch me. I can't tell you how many times I've sat in a movie theater and the person behind me had started braiding or playing with my hair. One time a real a** hole dipped the end of my braid in his soda! I don't know how you survived a reenactment with your hair down...who knows where some peoples hands have been! :)

[BunnyKitten]

I love it if it's someone I know. I don't even have to know them that well. The only time I don't like it is when I know it's got tangles in it, or it's not clean. I get self-conscious about people touching it then. But luckily, people don't normally want to mess with it except on the days when it looks super good. Strangers touching it, though? NO. Personal space.

[Shoga]

DBF is the only one who touches my hair and he doesn't do it that often. He DOES scratch/rub my head though to be endearing and I love that.

A little girl once crawled into a chair with me and started to braid my baby hairs. I told her to stop because they were getting knotted and my length was pulled back in a bun. Her mom wasn't embarrassed and the girl wasn't well disciplined, but she stopped. That is my only experience of a stranger touching my hair, that I'm aware of anyway.

[Maha]

If the person asks and I say it's okay, then it's okay as long as they are gentle.
I make sure to tell them not to do anything crazy with it just run there hand through it.

If a person doesn't ask and they do it...well, that's a good way to irritate/upset me.

[practikalmagik]

I just think touching any part of someone you don't know is weird and creepy (yes I mean you weird ex-coworker who touched my braids from behind and scared the crap out of me).
If I know the person I still prefer they ask first but it depends on how I have my hair or who they are.

[sarelis]

M hair must look icky or something, I have never had this problem! The only time my hair gets touched by someone else is by my DF during *private* time lol, I don't object to that :)

[lolar]

I love when people play with my hair..when I've asked them too etc...as for people randomly touching it out of the blue..no thanks!

[jextxadore]

I think hair-touching can be quite intimate. So how I feel depends on who's doing it.

[Othala]

If it is someone I like or love and the touching is done affectionately or kindly then that's fine. Otherwise, they can bog off.

[SouthernBelleUS]

I'd be so pleased that someone was so attracted to it that they felt the need to go beyond boundaries and touch it! Granted, no perverted bums need even try.

[Soltimus]

I've not had that happen a lot to be honest, but then my hair isn't as long as yours maybe. I think that's what intrigues people. My MIL touched my hair the other day saying she thought it was so beautiful and shiny, and she loves my red henna colour. I think that's ok. You know, family, close friends. Heck, I probably wouldn't mind other people touching it if they seemed nice enough (so not random people at the pub, ha ha).

[sometimesginger]

I cringe. My hair isn't super long, but it's very curly so people always want to touch it. And I really do not appreciate it.

[alittleprincess]

Hate it. I'm like, "AHHH! I still have two days until wash day! Get your greasy paws off of me or I'll never make it!"... Not out loud of course. I usually just take a step back rather than yell :)

[rock007junkie]

I feel freaked. I think they might pull it or something and it might break because they won't treat my hair the same way I do. It's a tad paranoid, I know.

[Soulina]

It has happend only very few times, maybe becouse I normally wear my hair up. I dont consider my hair long or enything special, at hip lenght. Once I was in a convension type happenig and walked my hair down, and suddenly a guy gently touches my hair, like he was testing the texture of my hair. My face was most likely priceless, he was nearly 2m tall (I am only 158cm) so I had to look up at him. He had apologetic smile and said something about having to see if my hair was real. I was so confused at the situation that I mumbled something about that the hair was mine and some sort of thanks and disapeard to the croud. I really didnt feel irritated at that time, I was taken that someone noticed my hair, if it woud happen all the time I woud most likely start to hate it.

My mother some times braids my hair (rarely tho) and some times other relatives have to see if it is truly mine, becouse the did not belive that I coud ever grow my hair past BSL, but here I am at hip lenght and growing longer. But I woud newer let enyone brush my hair.

Edit:
I have to add that my boyfriend (he is 35 years old not really a boy enymore) has a beard, longish full beard, and he has lot of it its thick, curly, poofy and I love to touch it, but he really doesnt like it, and I can see why. There has been couple ocasion that some complete stranger (normally woman) comes and tughs him from his beard. That I cant really understant. For a young child its okay, like our friends one year old who is really fasinated by his beard.

[AlicesPlatforms]

When I was younger and my hair was about tailbone or classic, people would without warning grab at it. Of course, I was in high school but constantly hearing "Cut your hair!" being yelled at me didn't help me feel less paranoid. Generally though it just pisses me off. They should not be able to invade my personal space like that. Yet it happened constantly. My friends eventually helped me get them to back off a little.

Nowadays people ask much more often(mainly for 'omg is that real it's so pink/purple/whatever'), and I don't really mind it. At least they asked.

[battles]

No strangers have tried it before, but I would be upset. I am not public property and I expect someone to ask before they touch me.

I would only be comfortable with my boyfriend or close family members touching my hair without asking permission. DBF is welcome to touch my hair anytime. :)

[AnthonyB93]

As a guy I get asked at least 3 times a month to have my hair touched or pulled on to see if it's mine. That's why I wear it up often so people won't be inclined to touch it...and I'm paranoid some of my family members might try to cut if off, so no braids or down around them...

[Venefica]

I love to have my hair touched, but only by those who have my permission to do so. I do not like it when random strangers touch my hair, and for some reason when you have a long braid there are always those who just have to pull at it or in other ways touch it and that is not welcome, my hair is a part of my body I do not like it touched unless I have invited someone to do so.

[jacqueline101]

I don't like it at all.

[Angelica]

I have to admit I hate it. It really creeps me out. I feel embarrassed also because my hair is so fine and thin and then they'll comment on this fact. For this reason my hair is always up as it draws less attention to it. I don't really like anyone touching it, not even my husband or son, but I will tolerate it from them. I don't know why I have this reaction to having my hair touched, it makes me cringe literally. I do like lots of cuddles and kisses though and am very affectionate, but my hair is certainly a out of bounds area.

[KarisaLightYear]

I feel like the 1% that actually doesn't mind LOL!

Maybe that's because whenever people do it, they compliment my hair, and it makes me feel all warm and giggly. I'm proud of what I have, and I take care of my hair as well as I can, so I honestly don't think it's that bad at all. I have long hair that reaches my butt, so I might as well show it off! It just boosts my confidence, and I love the feeling of wearing it down more than anything.

[sally_neuf]

Ok, I will join the 1% who doesn't care :) but Ihave many friends who LOVE it, they are always like "can you pet my hair? braid it, play with it!" lol :D funny but everyone is very different!

[turquoisedays]

I dislike it because I'm not aware of the hygiene habits of the person and I dislike being touched. The only person I don't mind touching my hair is my SO. I thought one of the first lessons taught to children in daycare and school is to keep your hands to yourself, so it confuses me that adults would think it's acceptable to do so.

[Elleyena]

That depends on the person. Most of my close friends have a free pass, and children will do what children will do. However right after using Henna to dye my hair one of my managers commented on how it looked, and the started touching and petting my hair and asked why I was wearing it up. That bothered me a lot.

[leslissocool]

Touch my hair and lose a finger :hatchet: I don't even like DH touching it.

[Magalo]

I love when people play with my hair. When I say "people", I'm talking about family, SO and close friends.

[furnival]

I love it when people play with my hair. I used to work in a nursing home and there was an old lady called Delma who was severely brain damaged, and she used to gently examine my dreadlocks one by one. It made me feel sleepy and relaxed and if I had a spare minute I'd sit on the floor in front of her chair and let her play, and it seemed to be a rewarding experience for both of us, bless her.

[Lunadriael]

If it's someone I trust and who I know won't damage my hair, I love it. Gentle handling feels really nice. :) If it's a stranger or someone who is likely to damage my hair, my feeling varies from uncomfortable to really disturbed. The worst was one time when I was on a train and this rather strange polish guy I'd never met said, 'Can I touch your hair', yet never waited for a response and started petting it without my permission. It was absolutely horrible. He seemed a bit like he was on drugs and the train was too crowded to get away from him. I was so relieved when I got to my stop and could get away from him.

That said, it still beats the time when an older girl stubbed out a cigarette on my head on the school bus. Quite a lot of my hair fell out. I'm so lucky I wasn't wearing hairspray or something. She ended up getting banned from using the bus for it, but I was really upset about the whole thing regardless.

So I guess it's all situational. I thought most people liked having their hair messed with at the hairdressers, or having a relative put it up in a style, so it's interesting how many posters are totally against anyone touching their hair at all... Although I have to say the LHC has certainly made me more paranoid about other people damaging it, so that could be part of the reason so many people on here hate it.

[humble_knight]

I'm taller than everyone I know, so I would see their hand coming and step away before they could even get near my head. When I worked on a baby unit, I used my hair as a distraction for the wee babs, who would pull at my hair as I fed them, or gave them medication.

re: salons, I don't mind when my Jamaican barber messes with my hair. Everyone rates him in my town and he's not only skilled at cutting hair, but also facial hair. It's probably just me, but all the female hairdressers I experienced were bloody rough with my hair.

[anitacs9101]

--->this<--- (http://media.tumblr.com/f8f21bfd096229b51d80933df4ea20a5/tumblr_inline_mf7fba2FDV1rvq7u5.gif)

So I'm guessing I'm the only one who loves when people play with my hair, lol...

[labailaora]

It depends on who's doing the touching - partner, close friends, family, even fellow dancers I'd usually have no problem with, as long as they weren't in danger of damaging it. But random strangers? N-O to the W-A-Y. I'd feel like kicking them in the face.

[Sharysa]

I dislike it. I have a lot of space/touch issues that means I don't like getting and even if I didn't, I wouldn't like it since my hair rebels with any excuse it has. Braid gets messed up? Need to redo it before it tangles (especially the nape). Loose hair? Bird's nest after five minutes. And when I did buns, they fell apart from their own weight after about an hour.

So yeah, I think the only people allowed to touch my hair are close friends, family, and any significant other I have in the future.

[biogirl87]

I think for me it depends on who touches it, or rather who would touch it. With my mom that isn't a problem, as she knows I'm growing out my hair and she only touches it to help me style it (when I do visit my parents). My dad and the rest of the family don't touch it at all, which I don't mind. My friends, including close friends, know better than to be touching my hair (in a good way) as they don't touch my hair if they don't want me touching theirs. And I know better than to be touching their hair or making any comments about their hair other than about their hair color (there have been occasions though when I told some of my friends how sad I was when our mutual friend cut her past-BSL hair into a longer pixie).

[Bagginslover]

I love having my hair played with, its the biggest thing I miss about not seeing a hairdresser anymore. I don't like 'surprise!' playings, I do like to be asked first, and to be able to detangle first, and strangers that aren't hair proffessionals are a big no, but friends, aquaintances, family, even students in the right setting are a-ok :)

[clioariane]

Yeah the only ones who can touch my hair are my boyfriend and my mom.

[FuzzyBlackWaves]

I don't mind my parents touching my hair since they created it, and I quite enjoy a romantic partner playing with it. I don't like strangers touching any part of me, even if it is just dead cells on top of my head.

[Foxylocks]

I can't stand it. My hand will reflexively flash out and smack theirs. Can't help it :( This is why I feel the need to keep my hair up constantly.

[Heavy Raindrops]

I find it a bit annoying but no one touches my hair other than my mother or my sisters. :p

[Warda]

It is soo annoying!! I dont know why people think they can do that

[Angel_Abby]

I have personal space issues anyway. Don't touch me anywhere! LOL

I don't mind if my husband touches my hair... but that's about it. Its mine. Back off! :D

[Mizumi]

When a friend or boyfriend does it, it's ok, but if a stranger touched my hair, I would go really irritated :mad:

[Etna]

No-one touches my hair so I don't know how I would react for certain if they did. I do enjoy my personal space and don't think I would be happy about it being touched.

[In|{girl]

In school many kids wanted to touch and braid my hair and I always thought that was fine as long as they were being gentle and didn't just grab it without asking. My boyfriend is allowed to touch my hair and I enjoy it as long as he is careful not to rip out any of it. I definitely don't want strangers to touch my hair without permission.

[butterfly_dream]

If my husband touches my hair, it’s OK.
But if a stranger will do it….I will be really annoyed. :slap:
I dislike as well having my hair messed with at the hairdresser.

[HollyG]

Depends what they're doing, my ex loved playing with my hair i.e. braiding and pony tails when we were watching tv which i love but if they start tugging too much they usually get hit ;-)

[wtchmel]

I didn't read the whole thread so i'm not sure, but.... i'm probably the only one who loves it when people touch, caress, play, etc. with my hair. I don't care who it is, any attention my hair is given, well, i'm all for it, I don't care if it's a complete stranger who is weird, as long as they don't want to cut it, have at it!!!

[Skade]

You are not the only one Wtchmel. I also like when people touch my hair. In general. Off course there are exceptions, if it would be a creepy person I don't know with dirty fingers. :) But 99 % of the time I think it is great and I take it as a compliment when people want to touch it.

[kitemera15]

I'm ok with it as long as they ask first. I have a strong aversion to people coming up behind me and touching me unexpectedly. Small children get a free pass but everyone else needs to ask before touching. My husband is exempt though.

Weirdest hair toucher experience: I was waiting in line at the bank and the lady behind me started touching my hair and playing with the ends. She did this for at least a minute before speaking to me (I think she thought I couldn't feel it. When she did speak she told me I had beautiful hair, and why didn't I donate it.

For some reason tons of people ask me if I've considered donating my hair, but this lady was strangely aggressive and confrontational about it, going so far as to as to argue with me when I told her I wasn't interested in cutting it. She made it seem like I was selfish demon spawn for not agreeing to do it.

[heathen]

I feel like my cats when they give me what I deem the "rubber spine"

All you cat people know what I mean...when you try to pet a cat who doesn't care/want it, and it's like his back goes all limp like he's trying to bend it away from your hand.

Yep.

[MaryO]

Even though my hair isn't very long yet I cannot stand if almost anyone touches my hair (and head in general). Since I was small it has freaked my out somewhat- not sure why. Since I met my husband though I want him to stroke my head (sounds a bit funny!!). Very strange for me, must be a trust thing?

[martyna_22]

I hate it! It's horrible, especially because other people don't really take good care of their own hair and don't tend to be delicate with mine. That applies to my closest friends, though. I'd never let strangers handle it anyhow, except hairdressers (they can be quite brutal, too...)

[Vik]

Cannot say this ever really happened or at least I cannot recall any instance, but I would *NOT* like that one bit! I'd constantly think of "wiping their possibly unwashed hands on my hair" and I am not a germophobe. Eww!

[sarahthegemini]

I only like my bf touching my hair, and only because it's quite a relaxing intimate thing, I like it when he plays with my hair. Anyone else though - hell no! I was in a night club recently, and some random man groped my hair. He actually ran his hands from my scalp all the way to the ends, it made me sick. I was facing a wall (talking to a friend, not just wall watching lol) and he did it as he was passing by. It ruined my night completely.

[Leeloo]

Personal space, it might very from country to country, but touching someone without permission is always unwanted.

[chen bao jun]

I probably don't have proper boundaries about this. I can't remember a time when people weren't touching my hair. When I was living among black people, it always got touched because it was long (by their standards) and what they refer to as 'pretty hair'. When I started to be among white people mostly, they also constantly wanted to touch my 'crazy curls'. When I was in China, forget it. It was a free for all, there.
I always have more or less taken this as a compliment. The exception would be what I would call 'creepy guys', which has happened sometimes, some guy touching my hair with obvious sexual intent instead of just the usual curiosity and interest. I don't know what's worse then, whether I know them or don't know them. I back away fast from that.
Children touch my hair the most. Their parents often try to stop them, and when I say I don't mind, the parent asks if they can touch it, too!
Although I don't mind people touching it (I do prefer when they ask first) what I find strange that continues to happen is people sneakily touching it. It seems more normal to me to come straight up to me and ask if they can touch it than to touch it secretly so that I can't tell who did it. This happened most recently when I had to take a group photo with a professional group that I am in. As we all posed in our suits for the camera, someone in the row behind me was touching my hair. Of course when I turned around to see who it was, everyone looked blank...
Wierd. these were all people in their fifties and sixties, which is what I am.
I think I just look approachable in general, though, as people also stroke my skin without asking all the time, and say how soft it is and although I am now close to being a little old lady, little old ladies still pinch my cheeks. My mom and my husband say that I have a baby-face and my mom says that up until my grandmother died in eighties, people used to touch her in the same way and the nurses in the hospital fought over who would get to comb and style her hair that day, they all loved that job.

[SweetBronze]

My natural hair is soft, it feels like silky cotton candy, that's the best description of my hair texture that I can give. Some people used to play with my permed hair that only went to the tip of my shoulders, it didn't bother me as much as it do now. Now that my hair is all natural it's so soft, my scalp is very sensitive, so I hate when people touch it because sometimes it can be sore. I keep my hair in twist and it's very springy, people like to grab my twist and play bounce.

[Tangle or Curl?]

People feel the need to play with natural curls for some reason. I think possibly because not many girls embrace their curls so there aren't many naturally curls heads out there in my neck of the woods. I've had old ladies in the supermarket come over and fondle my hair. I really dislike it for a couple of reasons. Logical reasons: it creates frizz and makes my hair huge and tanglier. Possibly not so logical: it freaks me out to have somebody I don't have an intimate or maternal relationship with put their fingers on something attached to my head. I'm far more tolerant of kids though, because they don't know any better.

[chen bao jun]

Yeah, well, today an older lady says to me, your curls are so beautiful and touches my bangs without asking and gives me a huge SCRATCH across my forehead with her long fingernails...
Maybe I do mind after all.

[Magalo]

Well... I like it, okay?!? :p

My sister likes to play with my hair, so does my mother and I like to play with theirs. I've never had strangers touch it randomly, though. But I like it when people touch my hair.

[flemeister]

Cannot say this ever really happened or at least I cannot recall any instance, but I would *NOT* like that one bit! I'd constantly think of "wiping their possibly unwashed hands on my hair" and I am not a germophobe. Eww!
Agreed. Just depends on how well I know the person.

[MaCee]

I like people touching my hair and braid it or whatever. But I have to know them to let them touch my hair or it would just feel... weird.:tmi:

[RainbowLizFairy]

I like it when I'm close to them, if I allow you to touch my hair you know we are close. If you call me by my full name it's proof you're not that close to me, if you touch my hair it's proof you're either my family, my boyfriend or my best friend of many years. It makes me feel vulerable so if I'm close to them I feel safe and protected if I barely know them I feel like someone spread my limbs out pinned my too a wall and attached a sign saying ' Free to violate/disrespect/damage me'

[Tangle or Curl?]

Yeah, well, today an older lady says to me, your curls are so beautiful and touches my bangs without asking and gives me a huge SCRATCH across my forehead with her long fingernails...
Maybe I do mind after all.

:O oh no not the old lady tallons! Hate those treacherous things :P

[silvertongue]

Can't say anyone unwelcome has ever touched my hair before, probably because it's been short or medium-length for most of my life (not terribly touch-inspiring). I wouldn't be "weird" about a friend touching my hair, though.

[Violet.]

I feel happy :D

[amanda_the_tall]

People don't touch my hair. I guess since my hair is very thin and a boring color and not that long, no one finds it noticeable :D so no touchies for me!

[Anne10]

I love DH touching my hair. He braids it for me every night, it's a nice little ritual we have. I enjoy getting my hair done at the salon. No stranger has tried to touch it, which is a good thing as they might be missing a few fingers when they were done!

P.S. UpNorth - your hair is beautiful!

[nobeltonya]

Sitting in the mall today, these 2 older ladies were infatuated with my hair.. one fondled it lol (at least she asked first). I generally prefer people not touching it b/c they're not usually as easy with it as I am.. well, I'm kind of rough with my hair but I know how to do it.. :) :disco:

[ExpectoPatronum]

My hair isn't nice enough to warrant people wanting to touch it :( But, I don't like people touching me in general so I doubt I'd like people touching my hair.

[Emanuelle]

I actually like it when people ask nicely and when their hands are clean.

I really don't like it when they do it ''rudely'', like grab it and run their fingers through it roughly (will break up my curls.. :( ). Or just grip it firmly. Recently I was in a pub and a guy behind me just grabbed ALL my hair and looked at it. o.O It was weird and rude.

[Cassidy]

I don't really mind if it's people that I'm close with... But when a stranger touches it, it irks me almost as much as when a person touches my tattoo (which I don't understand.. it's my skin, what you are expecting, for it to suddenly come to life and dance for you?!). :rolleyes:

[glittergloss]

I don't like any strangers touching me esp. my hair. I feel uncomfortable.

[MadameV]

I was mobbed once when I was five. At least, that's the story my mother tells. My family was living in South Korea at the time, and my parents took my brother, who was three, and I to the zoo up in Seoul, not realizing that day (May 5) was Children's Day and that pretty much every school-age child in the city would be there. According to my mother, she left my brother and I (both of us are/were very blonde) with my dad and his friend, went into the bathroom, and returned to find us surrounded by a crowd of about thirty children trying to pet us. That was more about the color than the length but still....

I've fulfilled my life quota on being touched by strangers in general.

[Lolaaa]

I hate it! I have curly/wavy easily frizzy hair and touching it makes it worse.

[Skuld]

I'm pretty indifferent to it. As long as they don't rip through the tangles, of course.

[CurlMonster]

I wouldn't mind it if they handled it like I do, but everyone seems to want to rake their fingers through hair or just generally do rough/curl-pulling-out/frizz-inducing touching. So, no, I don't like it because I've never had someone other than my family touch my hair in a way I like.

[SC]

I don't like people touching my hair. Mostly because I don't know when was the last time they have washed their hands. I want my hair to be clean. And one of the other reasons is that when I've styled it in the morning and someone comes and touches it, I'll need to fix my styling which is annoying.

[deja]

I don't mind. When I had short(er) hair, I liked to touch my friends' long hair. Granted, they were my friends. I would def be creeped if there was a random person touching my hair. But as long as no one is trying to damage it and just wants to feel, be my guest. :cool:

[Selchie]

This is me when people touch my hair

http://img.moviepilot.com/assets/tarantulaV2/project_images/1342442204_kill_bill_3-oo.jpg

Just... Don't.

[RedNymph]

It puts me into a slappy mood.

[Paraply]

I don't like it... It's my personal space! If my friend does that I don't care, but if it's someone that I hardly know then it's creepy... But people are curious and usually don't mean anything bad with that

[0xalis]

I get paranoid. I'm afraid that they'll pull on it or damage it in some other way. The only person I trust to trim or style my hair is my mom, and even her I have to remind NOT TOO TIGHT!!! BE GENTLE!!!!! OW!!! lol

[Nope]

I'm totally fine with it if they're really gentle and ask first.
Once, I told my friend to feel my hair and he rubbed it SO hard to the point where it felt like he was pulling it out and I cringed forever

[wildkratt]

I sometimes like it when people touch my hair, like if they want to braid it, make a cute style, or just see how it feels. I don't like it if people run their fingers through my hair, especially if it's styled to be wavy/curly, because then my hair style will start to look ugly and frizzy. And I'm especially wary if their hands are clean or not; I don't want to attract any creepy crawly things when I walk down the street.

But I hate it if I have a ponytail and my friends yank it playfully to get my attention when I'm not expecting it-this is (unintentionally) mean and it reeealllly hurts!

[Jenn_Ivan]

If it is my boyfriend, it is OK but no one else.

[Foxylocks]

Whenever someone touches my hair (whether they have asked permission or not), I feel like slapping them.

[TrapperCreekD]

If it's close family/friends/boyfriend then I don't mind, it feels pretty good. Strangers or people I don't know very well touching it would make me uncomfortable. It hasn't happened yet but I would absolutely hate someone coming up behind me and touching it unannounced, I like my person space thank you very much!

If I'm wearing a tight bun, sometimes my dad feels the need to tweak it and "loosen" it, which makes me feel :hatchet: but luckily he doesn't do that very often.

[Doreen]

It really depends on the person and how much I trust them. It's not so much a cleanliness thing since I figure it rubs up against so much unclean stuff already; I just don't know if they will be gentle or if they will pull out some scissors or what. It really scares me if people do it without permission, though, and I will usually get very mad. There are only 2 or 3 people I would ever feel comfortable letting them touch my hair without asking.

[Valorie]

I would like it as much as I like anyone touching my face. So, no.
I guess that is something I don't have to worry about because no one does it. I've not ever given it much thought, but unless it were someone very close to me would they be touching my hair? Perhaps I radiate a necessity for personal space. Just, no.

[Valkyriejae]

It kinda depends - I work with kids, so they often like to play with my hair (if I'm wearing it partly down) and I'm fine with that as long as they ask first.
When adults touch my hair however I do not respond well - I've almost punched a couple people cause they thought it would be funny to get my attention by pulling my braid. Fortunately, even though my instinctive reason is to turn &punch I've got enough control to stop before I actually hit them...

[MidnightSunlite]

Kids: I feel anxious
Adults/Teens/Old folks: Smug lol or anxious/annoyed.. depending how I feel towards them

[kmcg]

It doesn't bother me if it's someone I'm close to unless I'm in a bad 'I need my space' mood.
This one time I was going through security at the airport and they were checking people's hair. shudder: I was beyond grossed out. Who knew how often the person checking hair was changing their gloves. Plus it caught me off guard which just caused me to freeze in shock for a moment.
I wanted to take a shower.

[chen bao jun]

What do they think you can hide in your hair?
I am all for security (I fear terrorists more than I am annoyed by the TSA) but that has hit the absurd.
I remember when I was young and a lot of people had big afros. This person was accused of having smuggled a gun in to her boyfriend in jail in her afro. (Or else he had a gun in his afro? I forget. It was the Angela David case).
Anyway, I had a big afro at the time and everyone at school, I was in high school wanted to know if I could possibly hide a gun in there. I was like, no...
Pencils, yes, pens yes, when I used bobbypins I would keep finding them afterwards for weeks, even when I didn't have an afro, they would get so lost, but even a tiny pistol, that's not possible.
I guess some of the ladies wear swords and knifes in their buns on some of the threads (not sharp) I assume--but they are very visible...


It doesn't bother me if it's someone I'm close to unless I'm in a bad 'I need my space' mood.
This one time I was going through security at the airport and they were checking people's hair. shudder: I was beyond grossed out. Who knew how often the person checking hair was changing their gloves. Plus it caught me off guard which just caused me to freeze in shock for a moment.
I wanted to take a shower.

[chen bao jun]

I'm kind of getting over that lady that tugged a curl and scratched my forehead..
why people can't resist tugging on curls, I don't know. It seems a universal thing, its crazy.
As I think about it, this shouldn't happen so much that a person gets used to it--
The other thing people always seem to do to me is touch my waist.
again, I don't know why. men and women both. It's like, your waist curves in so we must touch..
very strange. Sometimes I think they are checking to see if I have shapewear on or if my waist really actually is small, but I don't know. I personally have never had the urge to touch someone else's waist--or their hair either, actually.
My husband says I need to develop a loud 'No' that sounds like I mean it.

[Rosebai21]

It depends on who and how. If my hair is up and I got it in a perfect bun, don't you dare touch it! I've snapped at my husband more than once for that, it's hard sometimes for me to get a very good bun with only one scrunchie. If it's down, I don't mind my husband, daughters, or mom playing with it. No one else has really tried to touch it, but it's also usually up. I think I'd hate it if a stranger tried touching my hair or head.
I love having my head scratched or hair brushed, though that hardly happens anymore. It's a special moment if I can get my husband to brush my hair, and if he's scratching my head either he wants something or I just did something that made him really happy (last weekend, I got my head scratched for the lasagnia I made). I guess I'm kind of like a dog in that respect... lol. And sometimes in the car, I put my hair down and let my older daughter play with it from her carseat. She squeals and loves it. But she also tries to play with it when it's wet, and her little fingers tangle in it - ouch! I hate that.
And then with my younger daughter, almost a month, I don't mind. She isn't pulling it yet. When she gets to that age, I'll start wearing dutch braided pigtails again like I did with her sister. Then she can play with it all she wants without damaging it or hurting me!

[Serpentime]

When I was younger with tailbone length hair, girls at school would touch it all the time. I do remember getting rather annoyed with it. I wasn't exactly the most popular and hung out with the usual groups of outcasts. It always seemed that the older popular girls would get buddy buddy with me pretending to be friendly just so they could touch and play with my hair. Most of these girls were complete strangers to me before the couple minutes of them getting buddy buddy. I've never been the one to tolerate that fake kind of attitude so I think that was what I was more annoyed about than the actual hair touching. I am growing it back to those lengths for the first time in years so I'll see if I get the same treatment from people and if it will still annoy me just as much. My family, especially younger cousins, mess with my hair nearly every time I see them and that never bothers me much.

[Tini'sNewHair]

I havent had long hair in many years so i dont remember BUT when i was pregnant some strangers would come up and touch my belly which always made me take a step back in defence...
Or some people would come up and touch my kids faces saying that they're so cute, I get so defensive that i have to really restrain myself from pushing them over and tell them to BACK OFF!!!
I'm very protective of my body, It was very difficult to even get a doctors consultation when i was pregnant because i couldnt stand being touched (that could be because of the sexual abuse i went through as a child. Sorry to just put this out there tho). Its difficult, but even if i didnt have the awful experiences i had as a child i still think that people shouldn’t just go up to someone and invade their personal space and DEFFINATLY not touch their bodies out of the blue. Its creepy and not acceptable in my book.

[YamaMaya]

I havent had long hair in many years so i dont remember BUT when i was pregnant some strangers would come up and touch my belly which always made me take a step back in defence...
Or some people would come up and touch my kids faces saying that they're so cute, I get so defensive that i have to really restrain myself from pushing them over and tell them to BACK OFF!!!
I'm very protective of my body, It was very difficult to even get a doctors consultation when i was pregnant because i couldnt stand being touched (that could be because of the sexual abuse i went through as a child. Sorry to just put this out there tho). Its difficult, but even if i didnt have the awful experiences i had as a child i still think that people shouldn’t just go up to someone and invade their personal space and DEFFINATLY not touch their bodies out of the blue. Its creepy and not acceptable in my book.

This always confused me, why is a woman being pregnant a free license to invade her personal space? And why, oh why, do old biddies want to touch stranger's babies all the time? As for the thread topic, I really wouldn't appreciate a stranger touching my hair, especially with the knowledge that not everyone believes in hand washing or general hygiene.

[Eden Iris]

Don't touch my head. Close friends and small children can touch my hair.

[Enrapture]

Just realised, that no one touches my hair. Is it that bad? :( :D

[AmyBeth]

I would love to have my hair touched, but no one ever does.:(

[Rio040113]

Strangers touching my hair is a complete no-no, I'd be so upset (I have Social Anxiety and OCD, so yeah :lol:). Family/close friends, eh, depends why/how I guess. DBF I don't mind at all as long as he's gentle :) It's usually very cute when he does, or ahem, during you know, 'frisky times' :eyebrows: :whistle:

[Snena]

If it's some random person touching, I dislike it, but if it's someone close to me I don't mind it much.

[merrow]

Generally speaking I don't like it when people touch my hair. I cannot stand people rubbing my scalp either (does that count?). I have sensitive hair follicles, and it can really hurt!

[Brattina88]

It kinda depends - I work with kids, so they often like to play with my hair (if I'm wearing it partly down) and I'm fine with that as long as they ask first.

This is me.
But I hate being touched by strangers!!!! And my first instinct is to swing! :(

[stargazer616]

I love it when my friends play with my hair :) my friends and I often show our affection for each other by stroking and playing with each other's hair. I don't think I'd mind much if it was a stranger, but I wouldn't really like it, either. And if it's someone I'm not particularly close with yet, or am otherwise not aware of their feelings on hair-stroking, it's important to ask because a lot of people seem to dislike it :)

[elocin9911]

It definitely depends. An adult, normally I have no problems with. A child with possibly stick hands, however, keep them away!!!

[mira-chan]

I don't like my hair touched in general. I have to be in the right mood to be ok with even very close relatives touching it. Strangers? No, just no.

[ZeppHead]

If its family or friends its fine as long as its not too much or they're causing tangles. Strangers? I've never had it happen but if it did no. No way.

[cat11]

Tense. unless it's my SO and hes being very very gentle and doesn't have rough hands. And sometimes even then. Ahhh..... I dont like having my hair touched. The friction.... *crazy hair lady laugh*

[Dona]

I really don't like it when strangers touch my hair. But when it's my SO or a close friend, I don't mind.

[Begemot]

Thought of people touching my hair makes me bit uncomfortable. I would not like to have strangers touching my hair or any other part of me. I would probably lecture them about it, teach some manners. People who know me also know that I don't like unnecessary touching so they won't just jump on me. I might be okay with it if you ask permission first. I would never just grab someones hair even if it was the most beautiful, enticing mane of hair ever. Touching others without their consent is not cool.

[Lis]

Definitely not a big fan!

[Fericera]

I haven't had a stranger touch my hair, or even ask to, since I was a child. I'm not much of a people person but I probably wouldn't make a fuss as long as they were nice about it and their hands were clean.

[Dessi]

Oh, I don't mind at all if it's someone I know. But strangers I've never met touching my hair .. oh well, that's too much.

[hennalonghair]

Strangers touching my hair is totally creepy.

[Catatafish]

I experience ASMR when people touch my hair, so I like it. Of course, I would never want a stranger to come up and touch my hair without permission.

[katieing]

I used to like when people touched and played with my hair, but now I can't stand it, even if it's someone I am close with. They just aren't gentle

[Bananfot]

No stranger touche my hair now, but for many years a go when i had a perm with big hairmetal hair every body wanted to touched it. Now it is only my husband and my hairdresser of couse, and people that have been hairdresser that want to touch my hair, they always ask first and if i like them or have talked a little to them its oki, they are always curious how thick my hair is and so on.

But other then that i dont like stranger touch my hair!:S Yuck!

[lapushka]

How do I feel when other people (besides immediate family) touch my hair? Freaked out. I waited a long time to answer this question, because the very question freaked me out as well. ;)

[isabele]

i think my hair is not sufficiently long for stranger want touch my hair . It's only family or friend and it's ok :)

[Johannah]

I'd freak out as well. Except when it's family or close friends, maybe.

[Undomiel]

As long as I know the person and their hands are clean then we're good to go! XD

..And we're talking just a couple second touch here, right? If any male besides my fiance starting stroking my hair I think I would lose my ****. (I like when female friends play with my hair though). Not sure if that counts as being "sexist" but it would feel sexual to me and make me very uncomfortable.

[Ferngear]

Weirdly no one wants to touch my hair. People say "Omg, your hair is beautiful!" and I scoop it up and say "Thanks! And feel how soft it is!" They give me a look like "Naw... that's okay." I make them touch it, though. Touch it!

[wilderwein]

Girls usually touch them roughly and I hate it, guys on the other hand they ask me if they want to touch it and they do it really gently

[höpönasu]

I don't mind my family members touching my hair. I would actually like to have my bf touching my hair more, it feels so different compared to my own touch. He always brushes my hair before taking a length shot and it feel really good. I also love when my aunt gives me a trim, I feel extra relaxed because I'm experiencing someone else touching my hair and I can trust her with scissors near my hair. It's another story in a hair saloon; touching feels good but I can't trust them cutting my hair...

I've never had a situation where completely strange person touches my hair but I wouldn't like that at all. I've had some strangers squeeze my butt and I'd be as annoyed them touching my hair too.

[Arete]

No one has ever wanted to touch my hair because it's long :shrugs:
However, I HATE it when people try to rub my head! You'll just make it more frizzy! What if you break some of it?

[fiðrildi]

If it's close family, or close friends... it feels nice. If not, it feels violent, and even disgusting.

[hanne jensen]

I hate it when someone touches my hair. Somehow it feels like an invasion of my personal space.