Thinning Gone Wrong
However, about a week to ten days later, I realized something was wrong. My hair felt different. It didn’t move or lay the way it used to. Instead, it stubbornly stayed in the exact shape she had styled it. When I tried trimming it myself later (I’ve cut my own hair on and off for 25 years), it refused to cooperate unless I cut it precisely the way she had. When I took a closer look, I was horrified to discover that my hair had been thinned into clumps with pointed ends that would only fall the way she had cut and styled it.
Two other cosmetologists confirmed my fears. They said my hair had been thinned too aggressively, almost to the scalp. When I confronted the original stylist in person, she made excuses: cowlicks, hair changing with age, the fact that I sometimes cut my own hair. But when I insisted she knew exactly what she had done, her only response was, "Your head is round! That’s it: your head is round!"
Using a magnifying glass, we discovered she had literally cut my hair in circular patterns. At the nape of my neck, there’s a large spiral, and the entire back of my head follows this unnatural shape. Three more circles extend from the crown to the top. But it gets worse. Smaller jagged-edged circles are scattered throughout, connecting to one another like some bizarre clockwork design. My hair now tightens painfully, as if bound by an invisible band, and clings to my head in a way it never did before. I have no idea how she achieved this or how to fix it.
Is there a texturing tool that could create such a pattern? I understand she may have cut the larger circular sections intentionally, but the smaller ones - where two strands extend from the center of one circle to the next - seem impossible to achieve accidentally. It truly looks like a clock! As unbelievable as it sounds, this is what I’m dealing with. If you have any insight, I’d be so grateful for your help.
By the way, I spoke to the salon owner, who dismissed my concerns by saying, "There’s nothing anyone can do to change the way your hair grows," and that I should remember his stylists are "artists." All I know is I walked in with my own hair and walked out with… this. I’d really appreciate any advice you can offer.
Unfortunately, the only real solution is to let your hair grow out until it’s long enough to style differently. The stylist wasn’t entirely wrong. Hair texture and behavior can change with age, and a drastic cut can make those shifts more apparent. That said, a haircut itself doesn’t alter your hair’s natural wave or texture, so if it behaves differently as it grows, it’s likely due to underlying changes rather than the stylist’s work.
As for the salon owner’s comment. While it’s true that no one can change how hair grows, a skilled stylist should be trained to recognize growth patterns and avoid cuts that cause problems. Dismissing your concerns by calling stylists "artists" is unprofessional, especially when one of them left a client so unhappy. A good salon owner would prioritize client satisfaction over defending poor work, since unhappy clients rarely return.
In the meantime, you might try consulting a highly experienced stylist who specializes in corrective cuts. They may be able to soften the harsh lines and help your hair grow out more gracefully. Deep conditioning treatments could also help ease the tension you’re feeling. Hang in there! With time and patience, your hair will recover.
©Hairfinder.com
See also:
Scissor happy hairdressers and unhappy clients
How to report salons that continually do not honor the patron's request