What could be so bad with having a "Bad Hair Day"?

When your mane's a mess, does it seem like nothing goes your way? Don't worry – it's not just you.

Does having a bad hair really affect you?

How does a bad hair day really affects us.

Whether you’re fighting with frizzy out of control hair, trying to pump up the volume on  limp locks, or just plain doing battle with the weather, having a hair meltdown may affect more than just your appearance. “Bad hair” can have profound effects on your mental well-being, causing both women and men to lose self-esteem, become more socially insecure, and even doubt their own abilities. This was found by  researchers at Yale University found in one of their studies. 

The study, commissioned by Proctor and Gamble (makes sense), found that people may actually perform below their abilities when they believe their hair is not up to snuff. The researchers reported that even the thought of a bad hair day made women and men believe they weren’t as smart as others. Socially, women reported feeling embarrassed, ashamed, and self-conscious during bad hair days while men said they felt more nervous and less self-confident.

“There is a strong correlation between what we see in the mirror and how we feel about ourselves,” says Amy L. Flowers, PhD, a psychologist with expertise in self-esteem and body image and with a practice in Macon, Ga. “Thomas Cash, a famous researcher in body image, states that up to 25 percent of our self-esteem is determined by how we feel about our bodies — you can’t hate the way you look and still love yourself,” Flowers says. “Also, we assume that others see us the way we see ourselves, so if we don’t like a particular feature (like our hair), we assume that others find it repulsive, too.” But, of course, that’s not always the case.

But 44 percent of respondents said their mood has been negatively affected by a bad hair day, and 26 percent said they actually were moved to tears after a botched haircut. The reaction is understandable, says Flowers. “We put importance on our hair and face because these are features that cannot be hidden; they are the first things we notice about people.” U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton can attest to the power of hair. She once famously quipped, “If I want to knock a story off the front page, I just change my hairstyle.” 

To avoid a bad hair day, women are ready to dip pretty deep into their pockets. The ShopSmart poll found that, on average, women pay $50 to $ 90. for a haircut. Also 73 percent of women reported regularly coloring their hair with  women paying  an average $65 to $150. for color. 

“I think women will spend their last money on  haircuts and hair color because these are not seen as luxuries but ‘impression-formation devices,’ especially on job interviews, first dates, etc.,” Flowers says. 

What Good Hair Care Says About You

 “I think hair can say a lot about how we see ourselves — if it looks like you just fell out of bed, it implies that you don’t care about your appearance, which to me indicates poor self-esteem,” says Flowers. “I don’t think you have to have on a full face of makeup before going out to get the mail, but a person who is going out in public should be clean and tidy. It shows self-respect and makes a good impression.” And she urges people to "remember that old expression: You only have one chance to make a first impression.” 

So with this in mind, a good and experienced professional stylist is worth their weight in gold. 

TELL US here at Claude Thomas Salon and Spa blogg: Does a bad hair day dampen your emotional health? Share your experiences in the comments.