Hair stylist recently trimmed 10 inches instead of 4 inches.

**Darrin** · March 28th, 2017, 09:41 AM

Hi,

I have been going to the same stylist for 11 years. I recently asked her to trim my hair 4 inches and she trimmed 10 inches. She said she made a mistake because she measured the length when I was sitting down. She has been in the business since 1980. I wanted my hair just above my belly button and wound up with mid back length hair. She at least trimmed it nice and even. May be my directions were vague? Should I giver her another chance in the future? How could she make such a mistake? She is nice and we are friendly. She once tried to talk a friend of mine out of cutting his long hair. When he resisted, she talked him into a medium length style, so that he could grow it back quickly, if he change his mine. So, I feel she is long hair friendly. I do not plan on trimming the rest of the year. I want to grow my hair back to waist length.

Darrin

**Aredhel** · March 28th, 2017, 09:50 AM

I tend to find that with hair salons, I have to physically show them with my hands exactly how much I want cut.

I don't trust them with just a number because 2 inches could mean 6 inches to some people apparently. Hair salons are quite notorious for taking a trim to a huge cut.

Whether or not you wish to return to her in the future is your prerogative, but you might find that you will run into the same issue with other stylists as well. I know I have, which is why I trim my own hair now.

**draysmir** · March 28th, 2017, 09:52 AM

She sounds like a nice lady, but cutting off an extra half a foot of hair than you wanted seems like a hard thing to accidently do. Surely she would have been able to eyeball before she cut that she was cutting way more than 4 inches? It just seems odd to me.

In terms of if you think you should go back to her again, that's totally your choice. The only thing I could guess is she cut according to your body markers (if you asked to be just above your bellybutton), rather than cutting according to the length you asked to be cut off. When I sit down, at least for me, my hair looks longer than when I stand up (better posture maybe?). Maybe next time you could just grab your ends and just show her how much you want cut off, and get her to show you how much she is cutting off before she actually begins the first cut. She obviously had trouble interpreting not only your body markers, but what 4 inches apparently is. I definitely think this was her mistake, rather than yours though, so it would be reasonable if you did not want to go back to her. I'm very sorry this happened to you though, I'm sure you'll be able to grow back the hair you lost in no time!

**PillowForts17** · March 28th, 2017, 10:02 AM

I've personally sworn off hair dressers while I'm growing my hair out. Once I hit my goal, maybe I'll think about going back. But every time I go in I walk out unhappy in some way. Whether they cut it way too short or just completely butchered my hair (this happened the last time I went in). I think this was a big enough mistake for you to not go back to her at the very least. I have trouble believing this was an accident. Most people can tell the difference between four and ten inches. But again, it is up to you whether you go back or not.

**Darrin** · March 28th, 2017, 10:34 AM

Thanks for the responses! At least she cut my hair nice and even. It looks fine, just not the length I was wanting. I may not go back to her. I just have a fear that a new stylist will do a worst job. I may try to trim my own hair once it grows back. However, I tried to trim my bangs in high school, and it did not go well! At least my hair grows faster than average. I am still a little disappointed.

Darrin

**Aredhel** · March 28th, 2017, 10:42 AM

I'd recommend looking on YouTube for some hair trimming tutorials! That's how I learned to trim my own hair.

**lapushka** · March 28th, 2017, 11:06 AM

Originally Posted by Darrin

I have been going to the same stylist for 11 years. I recently asked her to trim my hair 4 inches and she trimmed 10 inches. She said she made a mistake because she measured the length when I was sitting down. She has been in the business since 1980. I wanted my hair just above my belly button and wound up with mid back length hair. She at least trimmed it nice and even. May be my directions were vague? Should I giver her another chance in the future? How could she make such a mistake? She is nice and we are friendly. She once tried to talk a friend of mine out of cutting his long hair. When he resisted, she talked him into a medium length style, so that he could grow it back quickly, if he change his mine. So, I feel she is long hair friendly. I do not plan on trimming the rest of the year. I want to grow my hair back to waist length.

You could try trimming your hair yourself. Look up "Feye's self-trimming method" on Google. And you'll find great instructions that are easy enough to follow. I would not take the chance again; that is not a mistake you just make as a stylist.

**Mlarmour** · March 28th, 2017, 11:31 AM

I would let her know that you aren't happy about happened, let her know that you are thinking about going somewhere else because she cut way more hair than you're happy with.
My hairdresser always checks with me before she cuts my hair, even though she's literally just cutting off the smallest amount. When she did the big cut, she only cut off 1-2 inches at first even though I asked for more because she was worried I might decide it was too much if she cut the full amount off at once. If she upset me, I'd just never get my hair cut again, I hate going to the hairdressers - I go to her house - and I don't trust myself to ever cut my own hair.

**Alissalocks** · March 28th, 2017, 11:39 AM

I had the exact same experience many years ago! I went in with hip length hair that needed 4 inches off. Walked out with 10" cut that made me cry my eyes out. Your emotional fortitude is obviously stronger than mine.

I never went back. But I wasn't friendly and this was a new hairdresser, not someone I had a relationship with. Your choice but I also have moved to self trims since learning how, even though my current hair dresser is fabulous. I'm just maximizing length and avoiding the salon.

**Aunty Miki** · March 28th, 2017, 11:52 AM

Heart breaking! I show them on their comb how much I want off and then say only straight across the bottom because I'm growing my hair out to a ridiculous length. Last night, I dusted the length and had my first ever S&D session. If that keeps my hem perfectly straight across, I may never go back to a stylist, again.