Avoiding a Bad Haircut: Whose Fault is it Really?

A bad haircut is serious business for most women, though a select few beauties could turn the most egregious assault upon a woman's mane into a new beauty trend. For the rest of us, it is best to avoid a bad haircut than to remedy one.

Often we blame the hair stylist involved when the costly monstrosity -deemed our coiffure - requires a serious fix, wig or hat to be livable. Unfortunately, however, many women share at least partial blame for these less than satisfactory results.

With a little homework, good communication, reasonable timing and expectations, you can increase the odds in obtaining the hairstyle you covet.

Know Thy Stylist

The average hairstylist is competent and a subset excel in the profession but remember that some stylists graduated at the bottom of their class, some lack experience and a few care little about reputation. A few minutes of inquiry can ward off a pending hair disaster.

Find out more about the stylist's credentials and experience before committing to an appointment. Some questions to ask include:

- How long has the stylist worked professionally
- Does s/he have much experience working with your hair type
- How long has s/he been employed at the salon
- How much notice is needed to book an appointment

Note, if the stylist seems to have an open schedule 24/7, investigate further as to why s/he does not have a following.

Booking a Service Friendly Appointment

One way to avoid a bad haircut is simple timing. Just as a favored restaurant can fail to deliver the service a client expects, such is often the case with an overworked, overbooked stylist.

Granted, working women have limited hours to attend to their tresses. When possible schedule salon appointments during non-prime times (weekday afternoons generally) and book hours, not minutes, before closing time.

Define Your Hairstyle Goals

With few exceptions, do not leave give the hairstylist a free pass to transform your looks. Unless you have both the money and access to a proven makeover professional, the results are often disappointing.

Determine the must-haves for your optimal haircut in advance including hair length and one that fits the time constraints available to style and maintain a look.

When aiming for a radical change, try a virtual makeover first (online or in the salon) and/or seek input from friends and loved ones on the proposed new hairdo. Optimally, bring a digital or hard copy image of the desired hairstyle to the salon to avoid ambiguity as well.

Avoid Common Communication Mistakes

- Identify or remind the stylist of problem areas (e.g. cowlicks) especially those camouflaged by the current style.

-Talk in specifics. Rather than just say, "I want a trim," provide a measurement of how much hair you are willing to part with, which may vary from the front to the back of the head.

- Ask the hair stylist questions, elicit their opinion and assess the beauty professional's interest, experience and attitude.

If you encounter red flags or signs that the hairstylist really isn't listening, don't risk a bad haircut. Instead, ask for another stylist or excuse yourself during the consultation process (tipping optional).

Lastly, the beauty industry is like any other business whereas it includes professionals of various proficiencies. Some men and women should never wield scissors on anything organic, period. These tips can help you avoid those individuals and other hairstyle nightmares.