To be annoyed by talkative people at hairdresser's

[user129872]

I notice this a lot - women (usually) offloading their whole lives (what partners did or did not do, where kids are, how successful DC are, how much money was spent on vacations, how much the refurb is costing) on to the person cutting their hair or giving them a blow dry...

Seriously do you need to talk this much and so loudly?
Am trying to get a head massage here!!

YABU

My hairdresser unfortunately forces constant conversation to be the case

She’s a good hairdresser though

I’d love being at the hairdressers to be a time to sit and zone out quietly but unfortunately it’s not to be

What I mean is, you can specify that you want a quiet appointment.

My late father in law, when asked "How would you like your hair cut?" would respond "In silence!....".

I've often thought the same.

Usually people are talking over hairdryers etc. If you want peace pop in ear pods. The social aspect is a key feature of the service.

My hairdresser is an old friend. We have 6 kids between us. The only time we get to have a proper catch up is when I see her at the salon. I do chat at a normal volume though.

If you don't to be chatty at the hairdresser, then don't. But you can't expect other people not to chat to their stylists just because you prefer silence. For some customers, the chat is probably one of the things they enjoy about their appointments, and of course if the stylist enjoys chatting too, you can't expect them not to be talkative in their own workplace.

I've known my stylist, who also owns the salon, for years and we have a lot in common, so we do tend to chat quite a bit - mostly about music, travel, films, fitness, dogs and alternative style. But in all the previous salons I've been to, I really haven't been a chatty customer at all because I just wasn't that comfortable and didn't have much rapport with the stylists.

The salon I use actually has appointment options for people who don't want to chat, and they will never judge anyone who asks for one - you can choose either 'no chat other than the initial consultation', 'talk to me about hair only' or 'chat as much as you like'. But of course they couldn't ask all their other clients/staff to STFU just because one client doesn't want to chat.

YANBU. It's awful. I don't know why clients can't just sit quietly, keep their personal business t9 themselves and let the hairdresser get on with their job. Some people just can't shut up, even for an hour or two. It makes a salon the very opposite of relaxing.

They ask!!!!! Although I have to admit I don’t go for manicures as I can’t stand the idea of trying to make conversation sitting directly in front of someone like that😅

My hairdresser works with a lot of elderly and lonely customers. For some it's the only social interaction they have all week.

If people want a silent experience they can get a mobile hairdresser to come to them.

"Seriously do you need to talk this much and so loudly?
Am trying to get a head massage here!!"

Well I've been going to my hairdresser for around 30 years, so - we kind of know a fair bit about each others lives. We talk about our sons, our husbands' jobs, if we've been anywhere on holiday / cinema / festival. We talk throughout the appointment. We even occasionally talk about hair! It's possible we are a bit loud when the hairdryer is on.

Do we need to talk this much. No, but maybe we want to?

If you want it to be all Zen and meditative when having your head massaged, the hairdressers is not the place. There will always be noise, even if every customer and every hairdresser in the salon was silent. Hairdryers, the phone ringing and being answered, the door opening (clang! clang!) - honestly, get a grip. And go to a beautician for your massage. Private room, usually with aromas and quiet music to relax you. No other customers!

I had to leave one hairdresser as it was her and not other customers offloading constantly. She had an on, off relationship with a man who sounded like a complete waster. Every appointment she'd drone on and ask for my opinion on whether he loved her, what his behaviour meant. She was a brilliant hairdresser and a nice young woman, but it was tedious when it was precious child free time I was using. I did drop heavy hints about not wanting to chat but she didn't stop so I left. That was a decade ago, she's the manager now, I hope it's all been resolved!

That’s just rude

I love a little chat to my hairdresser.

I always find it difficult as they always ask about holidays and i don't go on holiday and don't do an awful lot and have no family so I am really quite boring for the hairdressers! They have given up on asking me any questions!

Depends if the conversation is interesting, if it is boring to me, then I wish they would go away, but if it is on a topic I enjoy, then it makes the time fly by, it can be nearly 2 hours for me and I like the banter at my salon, and I have learned a lot of stuff about what is going on locally too, otherwise you are stuck looking at your phone.

I love a hairdressers chat lol sorry OP! I get my coffee order in then natter so much I usually end up including the person and stylist next to me too.

This is silly put earphones in you don’t want to listen. Sometimes I like to chat, sometimes I like to eavesdrop ,sometimes I like to sit in silence and listen to my podcast. this is a typical case of someone who feels the whole world should adapt to their preferences.

Hair salons are known for being chatty so if you want quiet go to a beauty salon as they are more chilled

I have known my hairdresser for 32 years and he's lovely - we had our children at roughly the same time, now both have grandchildren, so we exchange bits & pieces about our lives when I'm there, but quietly because I don't like other people overhearing! I agree loud conversations that you have no choice but to listen to are very annoying

And some old people are upset at the loss of checkouts in supermarkets because they like the social interaction

And then expecting them to sit in silence at the hairdresser will just finish them off!

Same! I do next to nothing. I hate going on holiday. Also when I take off my glasses for the whole thing, I find it very difficult to see if someone is talking to me or to someone else & you don't realise (til you can't see well) how much you lip read to understand conversations properly so it's extra hard for me to follow what's going on in the salon. I think my hairdresser knows me well enough now to not bother me. I expect I'm thought of as a miserable old bat but I don't care much any more.

My hairdresser offers this. He says never worry if you want to just sit and read or use your phone and not speak, just to tell him

Bit of both.

YABU because it's just an accepted norm that hairdressers are places for chatting and gossip and talking.

But YANBU because if that's not your bag, it can be quite draining to be in that space. And its not like you've got a choice really because basically all salons are the same and we have to get our hair cut. Also, there are some people who really do take it to extremes.

I personally don't mind salons being quite talkative places. I can yabber with the best of them. It's the topics of conversation that get on my tits in salons. Endless fucking weddings, husbands, and kids. I get that you're not going to go head-long into deep stuff in the hairdressers but it really depresses me how badly these conversations would bomb a Bechdel Test 😆

I've spent 2-3 hours every 6 weeks since 1999 with my hairdresser (apart from during lockdown). I talk to her more than some of my friends (and do consider her a friend). However, she comes to my house so all our gossiping is kept between us, not for a whole salon to hear 😉

Oh I love it!! It’s like people watching for my ears

That’s pretty clear.