Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Hairdresser ripped my earring out by accident...

103 replies

liklypaddy · 30/07/2020 18:16

Was getting my hair done today. I have a hoop earring in the cartilage of my ear. It's tiny and never had a problem with it before. I leave it in as I find it hard to take in and out.

Hairdresser had a ring on today and it got caught in my earring. Cue a lot of pain, a lot of blood and a tear in my ear. I won't be able to put it back in so will have to have it re-pierced. It was cleaned up, plaster stuck on it, hair finished.

She didn't really apologise and when she went over to her colleague at the till I heard her moaning about me having an earring in. Couldn't really make out all of what she was saying but I could tell she was pissed off. I definitely heard her say 'seriously I can't deal with any more difficult people today'

Until this point I hadn't made a fuss at all, I laughed it off, so thought this was unprofessional. It was just an accident.

I asked for a partial discount based on her being rude about it, and the fact that my earring had been ripped out.

So my question. WIBU to ask for a discount? (Which they refused btw).

OP posts:
SchadenfreudePersonified · 30/07/2020 20:37

I think that the issue is her attitude rather than who was at fault for the accident. Accidents are going to happen.

This was an avoidable accident, though.

Hairdresser should not have been wearing a ring (or at least not one that could catch) and it was also HER responsibility to ask OP to remove her ear-ring. As she had never been asked to remove it before, and it had caused no problems, then she was no unreasonable to assume that the hairdresser would take sufficient care NOT to tear her ear this time.

Effectively OP was relying on the hairdresser's professional judgement. This accident was not her fault.

Tistheseason17 · 30/07/2020 20:37

Did you like your hair?

DilemmaADay · 30/07/2020 20:38

I wouldnt have complained about the earring as it was an accident, but I'd have done a complete u-turn at hearing the hairdresser bitching about me and complained 100% at that point.

Hope youre okay OP

Andthewinnerislucky · 30/07/2020 20:38

If I were you, I'd give the manager a chance to sort things out and let her know what happened, via text or call or something (photo of blood on the top would drive the seriousness of it home) and what she does will determine the next step. If she's decent, she'll apologise on behalf and offer a discount or so on next appt. I would go in that case but WOULD NEVER have that rude employee touch my hair again. I'd ask for this each time I go.

Original poster
liklypaddy · 30/07/2020 20:43

@Devlesko

She didn't do it on purpose, you should have taken earrings out, she'd obviously had a bad day and ws venting to colleague. What are you complaining about?

Sympathy for the pain though, that must have hurt.

Venting to a colleague in front of the customer Hmm
OP posts:
Mittens030869 · 30/07/2020 20:48

*I have numerous earrings and have never once been asked to take them out at the hairdressers! I wear studs and small hoops.
*
I don't wear earrings but I've never heard about this being an issue before. And if it were an issue, surely the hairdresser should have asked the OP to take them out?

I would definitely take photos of the injury and approach the manager. As you're a regular customer, she will want to put it right so you don't go elsewhere.

JinglingHellsBells · 30/07/2020 20:54

Surely hairdressers shouldn’t be wearing rings as it prevents adequate hand hygiene.

So can you explain that? Rings (metal) do not harbour germs, soap and water gets underneath and around them, and presumably you do not expect a hairdresser to remove wedding rings and an engagement ring all day?

@liklypaddy You might want to think twice about wearing earrings at the hairdressers. I always remove mine and put them in after I've left. She ought to have been upset and apologised and done your hair for nothing BUT on the other hand you can't always rely on an accident never happening and you did take a risk wearing a hoop earring.

JinglingHellsBells · 30/07/2020 20:56

I really don't understand this hairdresser not wearing a ring.
Every hairdresser I've ever had (female) wears a full set of wedding ring, engagement ring and sometimes eternity rings and these are upmarket salons. When they wash hair (if a junior doesn't do it) they wear gloves.

PinkSparklyPussyCat · 30/07/2020 21:15

I would definitely complain to the manager about her attitude.

To those saying earrings should be removed, what if they are new piercings? I'm planning on having a cartilage piercing and won't be able to remove it (I'm a slow healer). Surely hairdressers must know this happens.

StatementKnickers · 30/07/2020 21:17

I sometimes think that most posts in AIBU (perhaps even most posts in all of Mumsnet) exist entirely as a result of British fear of awkwardness/confrontation. This is the sort of post that makes me think that.

IceCreamSummer20 · 30/07/2020 21:17

I think you should have made it really clear that you had an ear ring in to your hair dresser.

She was very rude about it, but it’s not something that was her fault to be honest.

Mittens030869 · 30/07/2020 21:19

The OP had taken it in her stride and wouldn't have complained if she hadn't heard the hairdresser bitching about her. That's what she was upset about.

MarshaBradyo · 30/07/2020 21:20

Complaining at the hairdresser is a special kind of hell (maybe just me).

No problem with calling the next day instead.

GeneParmesanPrivateEye · 30/07/2020 21:21

@Devlesko

She didn't do it on purpose, you should have taken earrings out, she'd obviously had a bad day and ws venting to colleague. What are you complaining about?

Sympathy for the pain though, that must have hurt.

So, the hairdresser can complain about having a bad day, but the customer can't complain about having her earring torn out?!

I wouldn't have paid, and I wouldn't have stood for her bitching in front of me... I know it's easier to say than do... I think call/email the manager now. would you go back? Maybe accept a voucher or partial refund...

Londonmummy66 · 30/07/2020 21:21

Not RTT but given you usually have the manager I'd wait until they're back and then call and say that you weren't happy with the person who did your hair today because they bitched about you in your hearing. If I ran a salon I'd want to know

Queenest · 30/07/2020 21:24

I agree you should complain about her attitude not the actual accident itself.

She is extremely unprofessional bitching about the customers, particularly while they’re in the room fgs.

Floofboopsnootandbork · 30/07/2020 21:32

I have never ever taken my earrings out when having my hair done. I was also a hairdresser for 3 years (5 if you also count the 2 years in college) and never expected anyone to remove their earrings but was told we wasn’t allowed rings on.

Ywnbu op, they should have offered you a discount straight away and the stylist definitely shouldn’t have been bitching about you, I’d complain.

RubyThursday17 · 30/07/2020 21:33

So why complain? I sounds like an accident

Floofboopsnootandbork · 30/07/2020 21:34

I really don't understand this hairdresser not wearing a ring.

Chemicals and products react with certain metals which can cause very serious burns, wearing jewellery when you’re constantly getting your hands wet also opens you up to infections and skin conditions.

courtgou · 30/07/2020 21:38

Chemicals and products react with certain metals which can cause very serious burns, wearing jewellery when you’re constantly getting your hands wet also opens you up to infections and skin conditions.
Exactly this. Excepts are made for wedding rings of course but most of the girls I work with still remove their rings.

So why complain? I sounds like an accident
She’s not complaining about the accident, she’s complaining because the hairdressers were being rude about her

IdblowJonSnow · 30/07/2020 21:40

If its a risk then she should have asked you to remove it.
Her attitude afterwards was disgusting. I'd have refused to pay the full amount given that you left with a ripped earlobe and now have the cost and hassle of getting it repierced once its healed.
I would definitely complain. Put it in an email.

1Morewineplease · 30/07/2020 21:47

You should have removed your earring, particularly if it was in an area that your hairdresser would have been working in.
Accidents happen.
I think you need to suck it up.

TestingTestingWonTooFree · 30/07/2020 21:49

Accidents usually happen when someone has been negligent.

indemMUND · 30/07/2020 21:54

I have 30+ ear piercings, most of them rings. And a ring in one eyebrow. I do warn hairdressers beforehand but only because there's so many. I've only ever removed them for a CT scan so certainly wouldn't remove for a hair cut.
In this case I would complain. Shitty attitude, the injury plus what it would cost to get redone. You should've been offered a discount at the very least given what happened.

Midsommar · 30/07/2020 22:02

I couldn't even read all this OP - I have an irrational fear of earrings being ripped out! Ouuuuch.
Hope you're ok and got a decent haircut at least...

Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.

Join Mumsnet Log In

This thread is closed and is no longer accepting replies. Click here to start a new thread.