March 12, 2026
RDNE Stock project/Pexels
Getting a bad haircut can be a major blow to self-esteem. Preparing responses to the coming comments, and remembering that hair grows back, can help.
Haircut trauma is a collective experience, it seems. Most of us have had a haircut gone awry at one point or another. Great haircuts can make us feel great. But bad ones can cut us to the core.
In a recent Instagram reel about bad haircuts, a woman with a frumpy bob asks, "Why did I just pay $300 to look like a f---king Karen?"
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Another woman with a mushroomy-looking short cut says about her stylist, "She combed my hair forward to make bangs."
In another reel about a French bob gone bad, someone says in the comments: "That's not a bob, that's a Robert." And another person asks: "What does your hairdresser do for work?"
It's understandable why the state of our hair can affect us so much, Jenny Mahlum, a New York psychotherapist told Self in 2024.
"It's one of the first things people notice," Mahlum said. "In a society that places a heavy emphasis on appearance, dissatisfaction with our looks — especially our hair — can significantly impact body image, which, in turn, affects mental health and overall well-being."
If you are hyper-focused on a bad haircut, Mahlum suggests making a list of a few things you like about yourself that have nothing to do with how you look. It could be that you're a loving mother, you're good at making people laugh or you get fulfillment out of volunteering. However your list reads, keep it near so you can revisit it when you are feeling down about your new cut, she said.
Also, give your new crop some time. There's a popular rule of thumb in the haircut lexicon known as the seven-day rule. Especially for men, this means you should not get a cut within seven to 10 days of an important event, such as a wedding, a job interview or a party. This is because haircuts tend to look best a week or two out – or even longer.
Lois Joy Johnson, a personal shopper and stylist for women over 50, recommended in an AARP post last year that people keep an open mind about their new cuts. "Maybe it's not as bad as you think," she said.
If it actually is that bad, Johnson offered some practical advice, such as waving or curling hair to "disguise unwanted layers or bangs," exploring the option of getting hair extensions and using "eye-catching" earrings as a distraction.
New York hair stylist Patrick Melville told Oprah.com that people should speak up about their haircuts gone wrong. Contacting the manager of the salon about the difference between what you had hoped for and what you got might land you a free spot in the stylist's chair – preferably with a different stylist than the one who gave you the bad cut in the first place.
And remember that hair grows back – about 1/2 inch a month or an average of 4 to 6 inches a year. Eating a balanced diet, taking biotin (vitamin B12) and avoiding color and chemical treatments are all ways to foster healthy hair growth, the Cleveland Clinic says.
In the meantime, prepare for some comments about your new cut and have a response at the ready.
"If someone says, 'You changed your hair!' you can keep it light by simply and confidently replying, 'I did!'" and then switch to a new topic, Mahlum said.
