Hairdresser appointment. Was I being precious?

[LadyLindaT]

My hairdresser is lovely, and I have been a client for over 30 years.
She offered me an appointment when they opened again on 4th July.
I wasn't in any rush, so I waited until this last week.
I asked in advance if there were any special instructions, e.g., whether I should wear a mask.
I knew that there would be no refreshments, magazines, etc., and I was not going to bring a coat or a handbag.
48 hours before, I got a generic email, which didn't sit right with me.
I was told that I couldn't bring my own bottle of water, and would not be allowed to use the toilet.
I am talking about an appointment which would take over 3 hours.
I cancelled, in good time, on the basis that I didn't feel comfortable with that.
I have been made to feel as if I were being awkward and difficult.
I can understand that a quick cut and blow dry might work this way, but, if you know that the work is going to take hours, shouldn't you factor in that people might want to use a loo?

YANBU.
Your OP explains why I haven't and won't book an appointment with the hairdresser for the foreseeable future. At the best of times, sitting in a hot, stuffy salon full of chemical smells for 2 hours is not pleasant; let alone having to wear a mask all that time (especially if you mainly breathe through your mouth due to nasal problems, in my case anyway) and follow all these rules and regulations, no matter how necessary they are. No thanks.

@CremeEggThief Im leaving it as well. I cant be doing with it Too stressful

When my Hairdresser rang to tell me the new arrangements he told me that he is allowing us to bring our own drinks and access to the loo as per usual as it was unreasonable to expect us to be there for up to 4 hours and not have the option to go for a wee or have a drink of something.

He did say that most of the other salons in our area were not allowing either so I was really pleased he was the exception rather than the rule.

Wednesday cannot come soon enough!

Sounds OTT,

I went this week and the loo was open and we could bring drinks. I had to wear a mask which I have to say I hated and it spoilt the enjoyment....you don't' really feel great with a new haircut when you can't really admire it due to a whopping mask over most of my face!

Presumably not letting you bring your own drink Bottle so that you don’t drink loads and then need a wee. Seems kind of logical to me. But really it sounds like there are other hairdressers with different rules so you are free to choose another if the drink/toilet thing is that important.

I didn’t find it remotely stressful. It caused me a lot less stress than my unkempt witch like hair.

How on earth did their feedback make you feel difficult and awkward?

@Palavah Exactly!

I've just spent 3 days in Barcelona and Catalonia are much stricter in their adherence to the rules than we are here. Mask wearing is mandatory and people seem to be taking it much more seriously but having said that, every bar, restaurant and hotel that I went into the loos were open and certainly not being cleaned after each and every person.

I had to wear a mask, they put all my belongings in a plastic bag when I got there, no loo and no refreshments, magazines or allowed to have my phone out. Gowns were disposable and the prices had gone up.

I took water in my bag texted to say I was in the hairdressers for next 3 hours and enjoyed the peace and quiet. I wanted my hair done by my regular hairdresser and those were the rules.

@LadyLindaT was it the feedback that made you feel awkward and difficult, rather than just not wanting to go?

I didn't have to wear a mask - if I wanted magazines or stuff I had to bring my own and they couldn't offer me a tea or coffee like normal... nothing else really - the owner, bless her, had been out and bought some small bottles of water and kept them sealed up so she could at least offer her clients a drink of water if they wanted one (but I'd taken my travel cup of coffee with me).

My hair takes 4 hours. I went to the hairdresser this week. They had their loo available, I took a drink with me but surprisingly they offered me one. I was the only client there at the time though. They had sanitizing gels everywhere you looked, cleaning products all around the loo etc.
It takes me 35 mins to get there plus my 4 plus hour appointment. If I needed the loo that's a long time to wait. I am know to wait for ages but it's very difficult if you are just sitting there . Your hairdresser should realise that in these unusual times things will change for their customers as well as for them. YANBU. Give clients a cleaning spray on their way in if necessary but if you want your customers to return you fo need to put some thought into both the business and the client practicalities.

My hairdresser had toilet open and they are giving you drinks in takeaway cups . If their toilet was not available I wouldn't be going for a long appointment .

I think she made herself clear in her email and clients who would take three hours (what on earth were you going to have done that takes that long?), would back out and wait or look elsewhere.

Just had my first haircut in ages. I use a mobile hairdresser. She had hand sanitiser, wore a mask, gloves, gown and I had to wear a plastic throw away gown. I asked if she wanted me to wear a mask but she said no. However it was just a wet cut so fairly short?
YANBU - three hours is too long without the loo.
Hairdresser is entitled to protect herself with rules as she sees fit (she might be vulnerable?), but must understand that not everyone will be OK with it?

The handbag thing surprises me - certainly wasn’t imposed when I had my hair done last week, and they were being very careful about hygiene. Surely only the handbag owner is going to touch the handbag so there’s vanishingly low transmission risk to anyone else ?

Also surprised at the non understanding camels out there who can’t quite imagine that there are other women with toilet issues ( bladder prolapse, post natal, post menopausal atrophy, ) let alone those with periods who may need to change or bowel issues ( another PP mentioned stoma).

I had balayage the other day at a salon and took my own water. I would have struggled if they had not let me use their loo...

@ jessstan2 if you have highlights/balayage and a cut & blow dry it can easily take 3 hours

@caitlinohara

I don’t understand why people can’t go 3 hours without a drink or going to the loo, I find that really weird to be honest. If that’s more important to you than who does your hair then fair enough, YANBU. Personally it wouldn’t bother me in the slightest.

So you find it weird that some people might struggle with the following:

Heavy periods that require frequent changes of San-pro.
IBS or other stomach issues where you get little or no warning of needing to go to the toilet.
Continence issues after having children, or just because of age-related problems.
Medical conditions that mean people might need to pee more often than you do.

Surely you're not that hard of thinking? Just because something doesn't apply to you, doesn't mean it doesn't apply to millions of other people!

I'm now in an area where mask use is compulsory and widespread. You get used to them but I find using them makes me extra thirsty so I'd cancel in your circumstances. I also have to use the loo more often. YANBU.

To be fair I had a toner on my hair and I am sure I was in and out of the hairdressers in record time probably under half the time that it usually takes as they are faffing about much less with other clients. I didn’t take a drink in with me just my car keys and phone but a lady in there had a mini flask of coffee which she asked if she could open and they said yes.

@jessstan2

I think she made herself clear in her email and clients who would take three hours (what on earth were you going to have done that takes that long?), would back out and wait or look elsewhere.

Three hours is not difficult with colour and cut and dry

My salon were not serving refreshments but they were allowing people to use the loo and take their own water. I didn't need it in any event.

They also let me take in my own magazines as I had forgotten my phone.

So you find it weird that some people might struggle with the following:

Heavy periods that require frequent changes of San-pro.
IBS or other stomach issues where you get little or no warning of needing to go to the toilet.
Continence issues after having children, or just because of age-related problems.
Medical conditions that mean people might need to pee more often than you do.

Surely you're not that hard of thinking? Just because something doesn't apply to you, doesn't mean it doesn't apply to millions of other people!

This!

I’m chuckling at all the posters that are acting sooooo confused that people might actually need to use toilets at a hairdresser and have never heard of that happening.

Yes there are medical reasons etc, but sometimes you just need the loo! I’ve been out for the afternoon and been to the toilet twice. I’ve no medical issues or pelvic floor problems. I just needed to pee.