Hair style advice: 10 tips to avoid an earth shatteringly bad hair cut

If you've ever received an earth shatteringly bad haircut, you know that it's enough to make you want to die -- not just one death, but a thousand deaths. The good news is that bad haircuts are never terminal, and hair does grow back. In fact, hair grows at the rate of approximately one-half inch per month. No amount of wishing and hoping is going to speed the rate of growth, and there's no secret lotion or potion to encourage faster hair growth. You will have to live with this disaster for a little while.

Consider finding another hairdresser to shape whatever is left. Proper shape will enable you to cope with your hair while you wait for it to grow back. Little white lies help at a time like this--keep telling yourself that it's not the length, it's the style that matters.

Consider this haircut a one-time experience--a rite of passage that most of us endure at least once in a lifetime. Follow the ten tips below to reduce the chance that you will receive another earth shatteringly bad haircut.

1. Don't give yourself a haircut. In fact, don't even entertain the idea, not for one second. Hairdressers have received training, and most haircuts reflect their training and experience. A bad haircut is the exception, not the rule. Even if you are a hairdresser, how will you cut the back?

2. Don't let a friend anywhere near you with scissors, unless your friend happens to be a working hairdresser, and you've seen some of the results of his or her handiwork. It's not worth it, and it's not worth losing a friend either.

3. Don't even think about making a drastic change in your appearance when hormones are raging! After it's too late, you will wonder what you were thinking at the time of your decision. Claiming temporary insanity after the fact doesn't encourage hair to grow any faster.

4. When you're emotionally down--otherwise known as "on a complete destruction trip"--keep some distance between you and the scissors. If your self-esteem is low, your overall judgment may be clouded as well.

5. Communicate with your hairdresser--in minute detail. Your hairdresser is not a mind reader. If you say, "Oh, I don't know what I want; you decide what we're going to do today," you have given your hairdresser carte blanche, and you will have to live with the results. Be as specific as possible, and bring along a picture if you have trouble communicating the details of what you expect. If you don't know what you want, settle for a trim until you can make up your mind. You won't walk out of the door a new person, but you won't have the urge to hide either.

6. Know your hairdresser. If your hairdresser routinely lops off several more inches than you request, you have three choices. You can live with it. You can have a discussion with him or her. You can switch hairdressers. If your hairdresser is constantly distracted, talking and entertaining other clients while cutting your hair, talk with your hairdresser. Explain that you don't mind waiting your turn, you don't mind paying for the haircut, but your haircut is important to you, and you expect full consideration while he or she is cutting your hair.

7. If you know you want a change, but you can't decide exactly what you want, schedule a consultation with your hairdresser when he or she has some free time. Ask for several ideas. If nothing really excites you, try a different approach. Go to a wig store and try on wigs until you find several styles that you like. If the wig store has a catalog, take one with you, show the photographs to your hairdresser, and get a professional opinion.

8. Don't show your hairdresser a picture of a model or celebrity and expect your end result to resemble the model's hair. Magazine photographs are professionally staged and retouched. Sometimes it takes an entire day to achieve and photograph that perfect hairstyle. You aren't going to have a wind machine following you around providing that sexy, windblown look. You're going to have to rely on mortal aides such as mousse, blow dryers and hair spray. Further, your hair attributes may not support the hairstyle. For example, the model may have coarse, wavy hair. If your hair is thin and straight, you can't expect the same results. Use the photograph as a guide, and ask your hairdresser if your facial features and hair characteristics support the same haircut. If not, ask for suggestions on achieving a similar look.

9. When you change hairdressers, don't pick a name from the phonebook. Get recommendations from friends or colleagues. If you know someone who always sports perfect hair, the hairdresser is partially responsible. Get the name of the hairdresser, and do whatever you have to do to get the first appointment. You'll probably find that the hairdresser is booked well in advance, so ask the receptionist to call you if the hairdresser has a cancellation.

10. When you change hairdressers, get a trim, not a completely new style, on the first visit. How bad could a trim be? You'll find out, but more importantly, you'll find out how well the hairdresser follows your instructions. Unless the first appointment is a total disaster, you'll probably be able to train your hairdresser, and he or she will probably be able to train you too.

When both client and hairdresser are properly trained, the result is usually satisfactory and satisfying for both people.