Hair problems

[Earl_Grey]

The hair section is a constant problem for us while we're on the shop floor. Two summers ago we had the layout of the store changed around completely for the first time since it was built over ten years ago to add a couple of extra makeup houses, but we're still getting people coming in insisting that we've moved everything around. All of the hair stuff is now literally at the front of the store: if you walk in through one set of doors you walk straight past it, if you walk in through the other you'd walk into it if you don't turn, and yet 90% of the time when we're asked for something it'll be hair. Normally when we're down in healthcare which is the far end of the store. And then, of course, we have to walk people back to the front of the store while listening to them complaining that we moved everything around!!!! just to spite them. I didn't mind at first: for the first year I'd just apologise and point out that we'd added the new makeup counters, but at this point I will out right point out that we haven't moved things for two years. (Spoiler: it rarely stops them from whinging because of course the customer is always right and it can't have been two years, hair was just here only the other week!!!!)

However, this customer was an extra brand of special:

Me: *Working in the shower aisle, about four aisles deeper into the store than hair dyes*
Customer: Hi, where are the hair dyes?
Me: They're just back the way you came, towards the doors. Do you want me to show you? (This because I had my hands full: normally we're meant to walk every customer to what they need).
Customer: No, it's okay, I think I saw them when I walked in, I just wasn't sure.
Me:

I'm glad you trust me more than your eyes, lady, but next time perhaps you could go double check yourself and save us both time.

The other hair issue I have is this: I have hair down to my mid back and people love to touch it because 'oh my gosh I've never seen a guy with such a nice ponytail!'. Compliments, yes, carry on, I'll take them all but for the love of god don't touch my hair what happened to a personal bubble. Last week there was another idiot out and about:

Customer: Where's the hair spray?
Me: It's just up here. Are you after a particular brand? We've got sales on Elvive and Tresemme at the moment.
Customer: Oh, you do know a lot about hair care, don't you! Your hair is lovely, have you just had it cut?
Me: *baffled* No?
Customer: *grabbing it* But it's so lovely and neat, how do you keep it from getting split ends?
Me: *thinking: by not dousing it in hairspray for one* haha thanks here's the hair spray *makes a dash for it*

She'd have been perfectly fine, but why with the hair grabbing?

[KuariKaydrith]

I give you loads of credit for not blowing up at the customers who feel the need to touch your hair, OP. I don't get why some people feel the need to invade the space of others like that. It's hair, no matter whose head it is on! But I do have to admit to being jealous of guys with long hair because it pretty much always looks so much nicer than anything I'm able to grow myself LOL

My son has gorgeous long hair that falls to the small of his back. He is forever having random people touching his hair, usually complete strangers who have no sense of boundaries. I remember him losing his shit on a stranger who grabbed his hair - "Unless we're dating or you're my hairdresser, leave my hair the fuck alone!" The woman did a very good impression of a fish gasping for air, and then tried to tell him that his mother did a piss poor job of raising him if that's how he responded. I guess she never figured the family resemblance, but I rounded on her next by telling her that I taught him to respect personal boundaries which was a lesson her own mother neglected to teach her.

[earl colby pottinger]

Long hair protection

I never had long hair, and in fact I am going bald now.

But if I was in your situation I think I would make some small caltrops out of small sharpen pieces of wire see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caltrop and weave them into my hair.

The next time someone would make an unwarranted grab the hair would bite back.

[Latekin]

Friend of mine absolutely loses her shit when people try to touch her hair these days. And, since she's biracial with curly hair, folks in our city are always just walking up and shoving their hands into her hair or trying to stroke her head. These are strangers. People just walk up and don't even ask. Those that do ask get a polite but very firm "no, that would be weird and I don't like it," but hey, half the time they do it anyway.

Because it's different, or because "omg so cool." The worst part is the way they act all offended or confused when she snaps "I'm not a fucking petting zoo, get your hands off of me!" Like her right to not be touched by strangers is trumped by their curiosity about a her body.

Partner's a dude with long hair. Women keep walking up and grabbing his pony tail at work and he's absolutely baffled by it. Once again, hurt and angry looks when he tells them to stop touching him. One lady even told him that he should be grateful that he's getting the attention. He told her to "fuck off you mad bitch," because Dane is a man of few words, but he doesn't mice about when he wants to tell someone something.

I shaved my head for charity 3 months ago. Same deal. Random customers walking up and patting my head like I'm a dog and talking about how fuzzy I feel. Honestly, it feels gross and weird, but if I get mad, people act like I'm being the asshole here.

Why can't people keep their damn hands to themselves? It's gross to be pawed at by strangers like you're some sort of pet or sideshow curiosity. You want to know what hair feels like? Hair! The clue is in the damn name. Ick.

[mathnerd]

I know the feeling well. My hair is "short" right now, falling about half way between my bra band and the small of my back (I just cut 7 inches or so off it). It's also red, and somewhat curly. I've mostly solved the problem by simply keeping it in a bun, but if I leave it down, grrrrr.

[Latekin]

My hair is about two inches long, if that. XD I did the be brave and shave campaign for the Leukemia Foundation. I was bald for a while there. My kitties love my new hair!

People keep asking Dane if he thinks it's weird that he has long hair and I have short hair. He tells them that "she gets to wear the pants, so I get to have the hair."

[Monterey Jack]

Touching a strange woman's hair without permission is every bit as inappropriate as grabbing her breasts or ass. Just because you think it look nice does NOT mean you're allowed to just grab it! Same thing with pregnant bellies. Unless you're in a relationship with someone, you do not have allowances to just grab what you think looks good.

[KuariKaydrith]

I would say that touching anybody without permission is extremely inappropriate, no matter what it is a person touches. If somebody wants to touch something or see something (in the case of tattoos or piercings), ask instead of just randomly grabbing. I know somebody who punched a person who had grabbed her arm to look at her tattoo sleeve, and when the person started yelling about suing her or having her charged with assault she said that two can play that game because by grabbing her, the other person had assaulted her first so the punch was self-defense.

[EricKei]

I'd give you a +1 for that, MJ, but the button seems to have fallen off, into my ethernet at some point...>_>

[mathnerd]

Unless you're in a relationship with someone,

I'd be in trouble without this exception. I find it completely impossible to keep my hands out of my boyfriend's hair right after he gets it cut. I love the fuzzy feeling of the short hair.

[DGoddessChardonnay]

Touching a strange woman's hair without permission is every bit as inappropriate as grabbing her breasts or ass. Just because you think it look nice does NOT mean you're allowed to just grab it! Same thing with pregnant bellies. Unless you're in a relationship with someone, you do not have allowances to just grab what you think looks good.

As my Grandmother would have said "Look with your EYES, not with your hands."

That's something I don't understand myself . . . how supposedly grown folks can act like a bunch of damn grabby babies when it comes to someone w/extremely long hair/interesting tats/pregnant bellies/etc.

I'm funny about my personal space . . . if I do NOT feel comfortable, then respect my right to NOT BE TOUCHED.

Anyone who violates this will get their ass handed back to them . . . in pieces.

[greek_jester]

If someone starts getting handsy with your hair, wipe your nose with the back of your hand then bury it in their hair.

[WishfulSpirit]

Turn, look them straight in the eye and say "please.do.not.touch.me." If you can get your eye to twitch a few times you might scare them enough to back off. If not, maybe "sir / ma'am, placing your hands on another person's body without his consent is legally considered assault. You are on camera. Remove your hands NOW and I won't press charges."

I once saw a couple with a special-needs baby that actually had a "don't touch the baby" sign on said baby's carrier. They had so many people think their child's body is public property that they had to do that. Sad.

[XCashier]

Touching a strange woman's hair without permission is every bit as inappropriate as grabbing her breasts or ass. Just because you think it look nice does NOT mean you're allowed to just grab it! Same thing with pregnant bellies. Unless you're in a relationship with someone, you do not have allowances to just grab what you think looks good.

Yes, yes, YES!!!

I would say that touching anybody without permission is extremely inappropriate, no matter what it is a person touches. If somebody wants to touch something or see something (in the case of tattoos or piercings), ask instead of just randomly grabbing.

And if they say "no" to your request, respect it and back off.

I used to have hair down to my waist, which I wore in a braid to keep it off my neck at work. People used to grab it or pet it, didn't even ask first! I got my hair cut to just below my shoulders, and it's kept the Grabby Abbys at bay. So far.

[WishfulSpirit]

One lady even told him that he should be grateful that he's getting the attention.

Have him say "Can I grab your boobs because I want to know how they feel then? After all, you'd be "getting some attention" then too."