To cut my hair short?

[Whywouldyoudothat123]

Name change as could be outing, been on here a while.

ill be 40 next year, and most of my childhood and adult life up until the age of 35 I’ve had long, thick , straight hair. My parents and family always used to say how envious they were of it.

the year of my 35th birthday It started falling out which was really distressing, I went to the doctors who ran blood tests, and said everything was fine hormone levels etc and wasn’t sure what else they could do…!

i took supplements, changed my diet, lowered my stress levels, all to nothing. I even considered wearing extensions or a wig but my hair was so fine by this point I figured I would do further damage. I was so upset by this point that I went to the hairdressers and asked her to give me a pixie cut as I didn’t care anymore.

i was fine with the way it looked and it improved the health of my hair massively but I had so many comments, from family, friends, work colleagues, all in shock, “what have you done” “why have you done that” “when are you growing it out” etc etc. it really disturbed me how people were so honest about it and the ones that annoyed me I just replied with , I can’t help it and it wasn’t my choice! In the end I ended up growing it out and the comments stopped. Suffice to say the comments were mainly from men saying girls should have long hair!!!!

its got to the stage now where it’s long again but so so damaged and weak and I can’t do anything apart from put it in a bun everyday and its really annoying me.

it sounds pathetic I know but I just can’t deal with all the comments again if I go short ! Has anyone got any advice other than to stop caring?

Any comments, you just say that you like it. It's your hair, your choice. I've gone from bum length hair to a number 2 round the back and sides and longer on top. I bloody love it. Only a couple of people have asked why I cut my beautiful hair off. I told them because I wanted to.

I have thin hair most of my life. I used to have beautiful Long hair as a child then from the age of 14 or so it started to thin. I think it was a combination of the effect of puberty and heavy periods and psychological issues (abusive homes). My hair never recovered.

I tried everything: supplements, good diet, specialist shampoos, Regaine and had all the blood test to try to see if there was a physical cause.

In the end I just had to accept it and learn to live with it. I have kept my hair either in a pixie cut or a short, layered bob. I dye my hair with gentle herbal colour to give it a bit more body and keep it interesting. I also like wearing hats.

Maybe try a bob of some kind if you think a pixie is too extreme.

Frankly I don't understand the fact that all these people think it is OK to comment on your hair like this...

If you have thinning, limp hair it is never going to look good if you try to keep it long. So you are doing the right thing by cutting it.

I think that short hair looks great. It is just the usual stereotypes and misogyny to suggest that women only look good with long hair.

I would start caring less about what people think of how you choose to look...

I had some really nasty comments on my hair when I was a teenagers from other kids and from hairdressers but I grew to ignore them after a while.

I don't know why we've got so weird about women having short hair, I know plenty of older women who have had short hair since they were my age! It used to be normal! It's your hair so screw everyone else, I bet it looks great

God people are opinionated aren’t they? Pixie cuts are sexy AF! I also take Topiramate and I have been to a specialist dermatologist who diagnosed me with two kinds of alopecia at much cost and faff. I take two types of meds and my hair is almost back to normal now, but that was absolutely my choice. I don’t suit a pixie cut but I sure wish I did. I bloody hate unsolicited opinions and would have no hesitation in telling people where they could jam them. Your head. Do what you want!!!

I'd say YABU because hair is one of those things that people feel free to comment on in a way that they wouldn't over other characteristics like sexuality or race. It's more a YABU to expect anything different than a YABU about doing it because it's not really been your choice. If it had been a choice then you'd be more unreasonable. Are wigs etc completely out of the question then? Ultimately you can do what the hell you like with your own hair but you will have to learn to deal with the criticism if you cut it short.

Again, thanks for all of the replies :-)

A bob really doesn’t suit me, so I think I would have to go short pixie style, the more I think about it, the more I think that I shouldn’t care what others think and I should just do it and handle the criticism that will come with it.

Thanks for all of your support, a minor issue in the scheme of things but stressful all the same to me. Will book an appointment tomorrow 🙂