Changing Your Hairstyle Too Often: A Hair Chameleon or Something More?

The hairstyle has been one of the key elements of our personal presentation to the world for over millennia. Notwithstanding, the past decade has switched things up from “taking care about your appearance” to “becoming obsessed with the way you look”, raising a few eyebrows and more than a few concerns. All of a sudden, and rightfully so, we’re looking into our collective appearance obsessions with more than admiration and awe for one’s dedication to look good: these days we’re talking about the possible anxiety elements behind the person’s compulsive approach to beauty and fashion, hoping to find triggers causing it and mend things before it’s too late.

The noticeable, the obvious, the frightening

With the latest hair change trend – predominantly popularized by the Kardashian-Jenner clan, i.e. the youngest, Kylie Jenner – wigs have come into play, too. Although the youngest Jenner has pioneered the wig trend in the 21st century as a form of fashion (and emotional) caprice rather than necessity, her entire family adopted the trend as well, indirectly inviting over 500k million of their followers to join this hair-change/wig movement. The result? The followers either obsessively started buying wigs and changing hair or they wished they did. The youngest Jenner admitted that changing hairstyles helps her with her confidence and mood.

The background of constant hairstyle changes

Psychology notes that any form of anxious behavior is reflected in a person’s restlessness and their impossibility to adhere to a healthy routine. Usually, it is a discomfort with one’s own body, face, image and style that triggers constant changes which only make a person feel better for a short while. However, these alterations are only a temporary solution to an, often, permanent problem. Often, a person has an intransigent desire to constantly experiment with the way they look in order to find what feels good and suits their current mood.

Anxiety, breakups, new starts, family dramas, friendship problems, work stress, etc. are often triggers of one’s physical change. Unfortunately, while in the hair industry this hair restlessness may be an adorable, fashion-forward take on hair popularity and a perfect opportunity to coin a term “hair chameleon”, the background of this hair anxiety is a tad more serious. It is to be noted that a healthy person, one who is in charge of their emotions, doesn’t let the emotions take charge over their day, month or life. Also, it is discussed that a person with a healthy emotional state isn’t likely to change hairstyles too often unlike an unstable person with a range of mood swings and emotional sufferings who is. A profoundly unhappy person will keep altering their appearance very often hoping to either distract themselves from acknowledging and facing the problem or quickly change themselves into a “new person” detached from their “old self” and their “past emotional problems”. Such behavior is unhealthy and advised against.

One of the best solutions to your sudden “hair anxiety” attack is finding the hairstylist who’ll work with you, not against you. A person who’ll talk to you about the change and why you want it, is the one who’ll best advise you about the direction to take and how to go on about it. Sometimes, just consulting with your hairstylist will do more for your mood and hair change impulse than the change itself. However, if you find that your issues are not deeply-rooted and are a matter of a current, personal problems, trying to talk with some professional counselors may be a better solution than chopping off your hair, the act you’ll probably regret later. Another option is online therapy, maybe the fastest and more appropriate nowadays.

Fashion, prejudice, and excitement

Walking down the street or having a conversation with someone or a group of people, our face and head become focal points of other’s interests. For that, we are taught that the hair and face have to be maintained properly, to show our self-care, health and self-interest. The better the person’s top-part looks, the more appreciated they are. As it’s so visible, one’s hair is often linked to their sensibility, allowing identification of the person as an intellectual, rebel, sloppy and careless individual, sexual being, or some combination of the elements. Naturally, the hair is often used as a person’s personal expression of who they are and what they want the world to see them as, so it is not unnatural for the person’s hairdo to change and “mature” together with the person. In that sense, changing hairstyles to find the one that agrees with your persona is logical, and even encouraged. However, as discussed in the paragraph above, hectic and constant hairstyle changes can be and often are indicators of emotional issues, and – in such circumstances – it is advisable that you talk to someone rather than lash it out on your hair.

Stereotypes surrounding “hot-blooded” redheads, blondes who have “more fun”, brunettes who are “bossy” and “bitchy” will probably never go away, and that’s something we just have to live with. But, adopting a healthy approach towards changing our hairstyles is something we must do – not only for the sake of the consistency of our physical appearance, but rather for our emotional composure and stability.