[Amanda_1981]

I really want to get my hair cut, but am too embarrassed to go to any hairdresser because of my trichotillomania. I've pulled out my hair so much that if i don't part it a certain way, you can see a few really thin balding spots. It's also many different lengths at the top from pulling it out so much and if I don't gel it down each day, it sticks up and looks horrible.

Any idea on what to say as to why my hair looks like this for when I finally do get the guts to get it cut? I'd do it myself, but I want a few layers and a cute hair style and don't know enough on how to do that myself.

Any advice is very much appreciated!

Thanks

[crystalrose]

the hairdresser will be trained in things like that, you don't really have to explain. If you do just say it was a problem you used to have, or say your hair falls out when you are stressed out.

[Yoda]

My hair has gotten really long since I have not had it cut because I didn't have enough money. It was several inches below my shoulders and I was quite sick for about six weeks and my hygiene went down the drain then. I was only showering and washing my hair about once a week and then I didn't comb my hair but just put it back wet in a hair tie. Well repeatedly doing that caused some problems. I had several what folks here call "rats' nests" in my hair and when I was finally feeling better and tried to comb out my hair I had difficulty doing it. I was embarrassed but I went to a hair dresser who had never seen me and will never see me again and told her I needed her to fix it and cut enough off so I could care for it better. She washing my hair and heavy dosing the conditioner and the other hairdresser asked her how long she would be with me because somebody else was there and wanted to know how soon she could get in. My hairdresser said she was all tied up with "a project". LOL Bless her heart she was so patient with my mess of hair and was so kind I gave her a ten dollar tip.

I know it is embarrassing when your hair is not the norm but I am sure they see dysfunctional folk like you and I all the time.

[crystalrose]

i had a male hairdresser when i was younger and didn't get haircuts i told him not to cut it to short or make my hair look stupid. I was worried because the last time i went to a hairdresse they screwed up my hair. I also had been to a hairdresser after work with school children and i had been given head lice. The hairdresser treated me as if i was diseased, i wouldn't have gone if i had knew my hair had lice. There are some lovely hairdresser though. I'm glad you found one.

[Junerain]

A lot of beauty schools have students practice their technique, on certain days....they would just be happy to get to practice.....you could make up something about someone with a disability pulling it out, as part of that disability...woould not have to say it was you

[deliquesce]

oh - seriously, darling - do not worry yourself about this!

my hair falls out in clumps when i get stressed out, and because of that i have heaps of different lengths & my hair is very fine (by product of stress also) so it frizzes up everywhere. i get a few bald spots on my head, but the worst is my eyebrows because those are a lot harder to cover up.

i go to my 'usual' hairdresser because he knows what i like, but i only started with him this year. i've gone to about 6 different hairdressers in the past 2 years (they all leave to go travellling!!) but every single one has been nothing but absolutely lovely about it. i just go in and say "i need help!! my hair has fallen out in patches and i need something to help cover up my bald spots because it's embarrassing me".

hairdressers love their hair, right? they know having a good cut adds to your self esteem. so every single one has been sympathetic and bent over backwards to help me out. usually i end up with a few layers so that the different lengths aren't obvious, and once or twice i've had a fringe cut to help cover up the front patchiness. they've also taken me through how to dry it so it looks good (i dont use a hairdryer, so they just so me how to part it/style it so it can dry naturally) and i've also been shown products that help it keep down without bits sticking up everywhere.

seriously, all of them have said that hair falling out with stress is common but that i just have a bad case of it. i don't have trich, but not one of them has made me feel bad about my hair & i dont think you need to explain if you don't want to.