Getting over a bad haircut

There are few things in this world more painful than a bad haircut. Not because it's devastating on a grand scale (anyone who has lost a loved one can attest to that!) but because it's something that many people deem as being of little to no importance. "It's just hair!" they'll scoff, completely oblivious to your feelings. "It's not worth getting upset about." And when you DO get upset - which, by the way, is only natural - you feel that much worse for being upset over something that, apparently, isn't supposed to matter. Now, you not only have ugly hair, but you're being made to feel guilty about it as well.  The first thing you need to realize is that there is absolutely nothing wrong with being upset about a bad haircut. You made a small error in judgment, and it's one that you'll have to live with for a little while to come. Keep in mind, however, that it won't be like this for the rest of time, because of one simple, beautiful fact: hair grows! Sure, it may not grow as fast as you want it to, but in a year or two it will look nothing like what it does right now, and there are plenty of things you can do to speed up the process as well.

In the meantime, here are my five steps for getting over a bad haircut as quickly - and painlessly - as possible.

1) Cry.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: there is NOTHING WRONG with crying over a bad haircut. I've cried bucket loads over my various bad haircuts in the past. Going from a style you're comfortable with (perhaps a little too comfortable with) to one that doesn't suit you at all is a traumatic event. You feel ugly, but worse than that, you feel stupid because you were the one responsible for the decision. Don't compound those negative feelings by feeling guilty over your self-perceived "shallowness" as well.

Instead, once you've given yourself time to accept what has happened, you must shift your focus to the future. Your hair will look great again, I can promise you that! And when it does, you'll appreciate it all the more for having experienced a bad cut, and you'll know which types of hairstyles must be avoided for the rest of your days.

Instead, cry as much as you can. I've always found that crying with someone - say, my mother, or my closest friend - works best for me, but crying alone will get the job done as well. Once you've let it all out (and it may take a few days of crying, on and off) you'll feel a hundred times better than you did before. Crying is the body's way of getting rid of the toxins that build up in your body during times of stress. Don't ever be ashamed to cry, as you won't be doing your body any favours by putting on a brave face.

2) Write it down.

If you keep a journal, then it's more than likely that you've already done this. But if you don't, then make sure you write down all of your thoughts and feelings that the bad haircut invoked. Make a concrete decision to never do this to yourself again, no matter how tempting the future situation may be. Keep the word document/journal entry/notebook somewhere that you can access again easily, just as a handy reminder not to go down that path again.

For me, I've made a firm vow to a) never have my hair cut above my shoulders again, and b) to never have a fringe (bangs) cut in ever again. Both of these looks simply do not suit my face or my lifestyle. Remember that you are the one who is going to have to wear that hair, and that just because Emma Watson's pixie cut looks sensational on her, doesn't mean that it's going to have the same effect for you. It's tough to have to learn these things the hard way, but it is a lesson that will stick with you for life - especially if you've taken the time to write it all down.

3) Read about other people's experiences.

If you've been on the receiving end of a bad haircut yourself, then reading about other people's experiences will undoubtedly make you feel better. In this instance, it's not so much a matter of schadenfreude than it is a matter of knowing that you're not alone. Just about everyone has suffered the embarrassment of a bad haircut at some point in their lives, and many of them will probably have some great advice on how they got through it as well.

So do a Google search for "bad haircut stories" and spend an hour or so reading about other people's hair-related misfortunes. Like with the crying, it's guaranteed to make you feel a whole lot better!

4) Make the most of what you've got.

When it comes to growing out a bad haircut, you'll quickly find that hats, scarves and bobby pins are your best friends. You'll also discover certain hair products and methods of styling that don't necessarily make your hair look great, but do make it look one helluva lot better than it did before. Experiment with different products and you may find a way to make your bad haircut look halfway decent.

Also keep in mind that you're never going to have your hair looking like this again, so you might as well make the most of it now. Being able to enjoy your hair at every length - well, as much as you can, anyway! - is part of what makes playing with different styles so much fun. Taking lots of photos during this time will not only serve as a reminder to never get your hair cut like that again, but will also make you see how far your hair has come when you look back on the photos in a year or two.

5) Learn how to make your hair grow faster.

Although the rate of each person's hair growth is genetically determined, with most of us having a growth rate of about half an inch a month, there are several ways in which you can get your hair to grow as fast as it possibly can.

The most obvious ways to accelerate hair growth are through (yep, you guessed it) diet and exercise. Certain foods - such as eggs, red meat, leafy green vegetables, and sushi - are known for speeding up hair growth, and increased exercise is beneficial also, as getting your blood pumping will increase the circulation of oxygen to your hair's follicles.

There are also a variety of hair vitamins you can try, ranging from your basic multivitamin to the extravagantly priced - but rather effective - Hair Formula 37. Biotin, zinc, folic acid, MSM, and iron supplements have also been known to make hair grow faster.

Finally, you may find that a follicle-stimulating scalp massage will noticeably increase your hair's growth rate as well. I massage my scalp at least once a week using a mixture of jojoba (a carrier oil) and rosemary. Simply running your fingers through your hair and massaging them in circular movements has the effect of increasing the blood flow to your scalp in a similar way to cardiovascular exercise. It's also very relaxing and will feel great, regardless of whether you use oils or not.

When it comes to getting over a bad haircut, the two most important things to remember are that you must allow yourself time to grieve... and that your hair won't be looking like that forever. Everyone makes mistakes, and some lessons must be learned the hard way. There's no need to keep beating yourself up over one bad decision! Doing this will only make the situation even more of a nightmare than it already is.