Banishing Bad Hair Days since 1997!™
  New Posts New Posts RSS Feed - When special needs should include a  nice haircut
  FAQ FAQ  Forum Search   Register Register  Login Login

When special needs should include a nice haircut

 Post Reply Post Reply
Author
phil View Drop Down
Junior Member
Junior Member
Avatar

Joined: December 01 2000
Location: United Kingdom
Status: Offline
Points: 233
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote phil Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: When special needs should include a nice haircut
    Posted: March 18 2001 at 8:08am
In my line of work I encounter many people with special needs, and one thing which strikes me is the complete lack of imagination shown by their carers as regards appearance, particularly hair. When was the last time you saw a person with, say, Down`s Syndrome sporting a snappy, up-to-the minute hairstyle? Not often. It`s usually an unattractive bowl chop (female) or side part (male). I makes me wonder - do they think it doesn`t really matter? If so, they are doing that section of society a big disfavor.
Fortunately, attitudes toward the less able are opening up all the time, yet if those with responsiblity could only see it, they could afford their charges more dignity and less conspicuousness if they could ensure they were not always seen as "different" from the back, also.
phil
Back to Top
duke View Drop Down
Member
Member
Avatar

Joined: December 11 2000
Status: Offline
Points: 603
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote duke Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 03 2001 at 6:25pm
Reply to message: 10.3287.1
I`ve been thinking of your point for awhile Phil - you may be on to something. Several factors
may play part of the caregiver/haircutter`s style given to the subject:

-low maintenance
-they think the person is "not worth" the care, being "ugly" from the start
-they DO think it looks good

At any rate, while some of these people may not really need fancy `dos (eg - they`re not corporate
executives who feel they have to have a very business-oriented style) they certainly deserve
the same care re their hair as anyone else. I may post a related post regarding childrens` hair...
Back to Top
ScarletWitch View Drop Down
Unregistered
Unregistered
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ScarletWitch Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 28 2001 at 4:32pm
My understanding is that Down`s Syndrome hair is next to impossible to style, being straight and silky, which might partially account for that. My sister has a condition similar to Down`s and her hair is stick straight and baby fine. She wears it all one length to about the middle of her back and keeps it a beautiful blonde color, but then she makes her own decisions and does not have a caretaker. Some people`s idea of attractive (like my mother) is "clean and out of the face".
Back to Top
Iceman4757 View Drop Down
Newbie
Newbie
Avatar

Joined: August 23 2001
Status: Offline
Points: 24
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Iceman4757 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 02 2002 at 5:43pm
Originally posted by phil phil wrote:

In my line of work I encounter many people with special needs, and one thing which strikes me is the complete lack of imagination shown by their carers as regards appearance, particularly hair. When was the last time you saw a person with, say, Down's Syndrome sporting a snappy, up-to-the minute hairstyle? Not often. It's usually an unattractive bowl chop (female) or side part (male). I makes me wonder - do they think it doesn't really matter? If so, they are doing that section of society a big disfavor.
Fortunately, attitudes toward the less able are opening up all the time, yet if those with responsiblity could only see it, they could afford their charges more dignity and less conspicuousness if they could ensure they were not always seen as "different" from the back, also.

I can remember back a few years ago when I was getting a haircut and they brought in a few people with Downs Syndrome. The first one to get a haircut was a guy and he jumped in the chair but when he saw what she was going to do he started to scream and kick and his caretaker had to comfort him. The stylist had a hard time giving him a haircut but she did a very good job, needless to say when it was time for the neck shave and trimming around the ears with the clippers, he started screaming and tried to jump from the chair, knocking the clippers out of the sytlists hand. I just wonder if part of it is that they get kind of squirmish and scared of haircuts so thats why they dont get the fancy stylish do`s.

Now I have seen a few female downs with some nice stylish hair styles. My daughter has a little girl in her class that has downs and she enjoys getting her haircut and always has pretty styles.
Back to Top
Laura_uk View Drop Down
Unregistered
Unregistered
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Laura_uk Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 06 2002 at 8:57pm
Hi, I had a horrible situation years ago when I was training. A friend of mine who was a carer came in to the salon with the girl she was looking after. Some older women who were in the salon made horrible comments such as "they shouldn`t really be in here" We all felt terrible and simply ignored the comments, but maybe salons are another place where some people are alienated from? I hope things are changing. I`ve seen some gorgeous little girls who have special needs so I think the problem is decreasing with the older generations.

It goes with their dress also, maybe its a question of creating them as something "other" than "us" when they are dressed differently or badly. I`m sure things are changing though.

Laura
Back to Top
LiliBeach View Drop Down
Member
Member
Avatar

Joined: January 05 2003
Location: The Glorious South!!
Status: Offline
Points: 526
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote LiliBeach Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 05 2003 at 9:10pm
I am a hairstylist. My cousin Racheal, who pasted away last Feburary, always loved her long blonde hair. She loved brushing it and styling it. She was a beautiful woman with Down Syndrome. Unfortunatly she was an execption.

Alot of families with a Down Syndrome child cannot get attiquate medical insurance because most insurance companies will not cover them. Therefore alot of thier medical expenses are placed on the family. With such a short supply of money left over for luxuries like haircare, they end up cutting it themselves or going to the local chain salon "chop shop".

I personally have some "special" clients whom I give a discount for. I do this on behalf of my special angel in heaven named Racheal.
I am a professional Hairstylist/Haircolorist with 19 years experience. I have traveled all over the country for my advanced education. I am also a salon owner.:)........and I LOVE Redken!!!
Back to Top
 Post Reply Post Reply
  Share Topic   

Forum Jump Forum Permissions View Drop Down