I just thought I would post my hair nightmare. Almost 2 years ago, I went to have my hair permed. Well, the lady who permed my hair said "the perm will shut off by itself." The salon was very busy, she was trying to get as many customers as she could that day. To make a long story short... the perm did not shut off by itself. She left it on my hair much too long, over processing it.

She also did many other things that were wrong when perming my hair, such as leaving on the nutralizer on too long.

To make a long story short, my hair was "burnt together" - Breaking off in large quanities. I had 20" of hair removed so far... it is still damaged and we are working on it.

So, my point? Make sure the person who does your hair has EXCELLENT references, from people you actually know.

Ever go to one of those really fancy salons, where they charge three digit figures to color your hair?

Well, they can screw up too! My hair wasn't burnt last summer but it was dyed a completely different color than what I requested, and I even brought a color example to show the guy.

An overly busy stylist is not necessarily a good sign to me.

- Rae

There are certainly Hair Horror stories out there.

My best advice is to try out a stylist on simple things, consultation, trim, or style only. Find one you can talk to and who seems trustworthy. Then stay with that hairdresser for the long haul.

• They get to know your hair
• They are aware of the condition of your hair because they know what has been done to it peviously
• They have an interest in making sure it is right because they know you will be back

Bad things can happen even when you follow these things but they are less likely.
The hairdresser should want your hair to be perfect even if they don't expect to see you again but it doesn't always happen that way. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

I haven't been to a salon in over 5 years. I taught myself how to trim my bangs and once a year, I have a friend or roommate trim the back even.

My hair is really long, about to my waist, and everytime I've gone in to a hairdresser, I get "you'd look so good in short hair". Umm...there's a reason my hair is so long...because I like it that way. LOL

I also color my hair myself, with highlights. That new L'oreal two-step color is da bomb. I used it for the first time two months ago and I got so many compliments on it--even if I over-highlighted the bangs. LOL

But from past experiences, I would say if you choose to go with a professional stylist, ask a friend or co-worker whose hair you like where they got it done. Make sure you book when they're not so busy--even make a point of asking when their busy times are. That way your stylist isn't going to be so rushed. Read up online if there are any reviews of the salon or stylist. If it's your first time, go early and watch the stylist and the salon to get a feel for how closely they pay attention to their clients.

And if they screw up, demand they fix it or you won't pay. You have that right.

LOL! Thats what I mean, check for references of people you know. <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />