new thread
Mine is an "age old" dilemma, and I hope it doesn't bore those of you with enough guts to have already broken the hair barrier. I REALLY want to grow my hair long enough for a ponytail, but I keep cutting it before it gets to that length because of pressure from others. You see, I am a physician. Anyway, my hair is extremely thick and coarse, so it always looks terrible when it gets to medium length (over the ears and touching the collar in back). Can someone suggest a style that can allow me to grow it without looking like I'm trying to get it to grow out? I probably need the name of the style, as I've noticed that most stylists are hell-bent on cutting my hair however THEY please regardless of how much description I give of what I want. Also, is there any product that can tame coarse hair, allowing it to hang in a relaxed fashion instead of being stiff, as it is naturally. My hair has natural wave, which tends to look pretty good in back when it gets long (except at the bottom, where it flips out uncontrollably). However, the wave really makes the front a problem..I don't know what to do with it, short of using barrettes (women are lucky they can acceptably do this). I think my hair would look good once I get it long. Suggestions, comments, empathy, etc. welcome.
The medium length was definitely the worst stage for me. I just lived through it. I don't know if there's much you can do about it. Much as I dislike perms, that could be an option. Perm the hair into a tight curl (this may look aweful on you -- I don't know). This will give the hair the appearance of being shorter than it actually is. You can grow it long enough to hold in a ponytail while still appearing short. When it is ponytail length, you can then relax the hair again and let nature take its course from there.
I once worked with someone who had hair that matched your description, except that it was longer than yours. It was long enough for him to wear in a short ponytail. He looked very professional, despite the long hair. I think the neatly trimmed sideburns helped. BTW, he was in a managerial position. I don't know how he got his hair that length. It was always in a ponytail for as long as I knew him.
I am also a physician (academic), whose hair is now shoulder-blade- length, which is usually now in a ponytail. I agree that the most difficult time was the growing out. I had a good stylist, who knew where I wanted to go with my hair length, and cut my hair carefully during the growing out stage. My hair is pretty straight, so it didn't have the management problem it would have if it had much of a wave in it.
Interestingly enough, my patients either don't seem to care, or in some cases they (or their parents--I'm a pediatrician) have complimented me on my hair.
"I had a good stylist, who knew where I wanted to go with my hair length, and cut my hair carefully during the growing out stage."
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So in what way was it cut during the growing out stage? How did you wear it? What was trimmed and what was not???
Thanks!
Doug
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He kept trimming the back so that the sides would grow out (just trimming the sides so that they were even), and had me style it with a large round brush so that it always looked tidy, even though it wasn't long enough to pull back into a ponytail.
Ward,
I, too, am a physician who used to have long hair as a student. Now I'm in a position where I am responsible for other physicians and medical students. I do not permit any of our physicians or trainees to have long hair (no longer than the collar) because of many complaints from patients and their families. A sad fact, but most of the public seems to expect their doctors to have a more conservative image. In today's marketplace, we had not choice. Patients threatened to seek their healthcare elsewhere. Think about it.
Jack
In that case I'm glad that I work in a museum and not a hospital. The
mummies have yet to complain about my hair or threaten to go elsewhere to hang out, nor has the public for that matter.
I think there is a fear that long hair is unsanitary. That being the case, long hair would be inappropriate for doctors (if left open, anyway). I think this is something that can be accomodated, however, by keeping it covered where a sanitary environment is required. Can you image a surgeon performing open heart surgery and a lock of hair falls from his head into the open incision? Not good. Using creativity, however, I think this is not necessarily a problem. I suspect also that with most professions, a doctor who truly excels in his work will not only keep a clientele with long hair but could eventually use it as a sort of trademark. People having good experiences with "the longhaired doctor" will recommend him to others using this description. There would be no question that the person had found the right doctor when a face to face meeting was finally established.
Just a thought.
Funny how it's OK for female doctors to have long hair. Why does the public think long hair on a woman is clean and long hair on a man is unsanitary?
Answer: the public is stupid. The fact that "newspapers" like the National Enquirer are still in business is proof.
I don't think it's just men. My sister-in-law used to work for a national restaurant chain that requires waitresses' hair to be up and tied back for sanitary reasons.
Fine, but they would simply tell a woman to put it up; they'd tell a man to cut it. Can you say "gender discrimination?"