Long hair can seem great when you're on the outside looking in, but as anyone with lengthy locks will tell you, it can also be a hassle. Even if you have great shampoos, conditioners, detanglers, and other helpful beauty products, the struggle is real, and it's no wonder some people decide to chop it off. So we've put together these fails for those who can relate - and those who doubted you when you complained about your luscious locks.
Putting Your Hair in a High Ponytail Is an Exercise
Ponytails aren't hard. In fact, they're kind of like putting your hair into a bun. However, if you have really long hair, it requires a bit more effort, and you literally have to swing your hair over your head in order to just put your hair up into a high ponytail. It's not the most painful or inconvenient thing on this list, but it's still a chore that those with shorter hair don't have to deal with.
It can also make you look like you're in the middle of a rock concert bobbing your head while all you're trying to do is fix your hair like the person in this photo.
Your Top Knots Can Never Look Normal
The bun is like the nuclear option for those who have long hair. If you're having a bad hair day, then it's sometimes the only thing you can do to look like a normal, functioning human being. However, for those with really long hair, a bun can end up making that bad hair day even worse. Getting it to look just right is one of the hardest things in the world.
Of course, buns aren't the worst thing in the world, and they can look pretty good. The problem is that there's just no guarantee.
Horse Tails Are A Thing
No, the girl in this photo didn't just hop out of some magic wardrobe and start walking around the city. Instead, she probably forgot to pull her hair through her jacket before walking out the door, and now she's sporting a horsetail walking around the city. Besides looking like a fantasy character, it can also draw more than a few stares and laughs from people on the street.
It's not the most annoying or painful thing on this list, but it's another thing you have to continually be conscious of when you're a person with long hair.
Using Weird Tools for That Clogged Shower Drain
Clogging the drain is a fact of life if you have lengthy locks. This is what happens when that drain is clogged, and you have to find a way to unclog it: you find yourself buying strange tools and taking up plumbing. If you have long hair, then you better get used to the idea of fixing your own drain, or else you're going to be spending a lot of money on plumbers.
This can also apply to just having to buy weird hair accessories in order to manage and take care of your hair. That cheap blowdryer isn't going to cut it when your hair is so long.
It Really Doesn't Matter What You Wear
This could be viewed as a positive or a negative, but long hair has a tendency to cover most outfits. If you're someone who actually enjoys wearing new clothes and looking good in what you buy, then this might be a negative. We mean, what's the point of spending money on nice clothes if all anyone can see at the end of the day is your hair?
If you're on the opposite end of the spectrum and are fine with wearing a t-shirt everywhere you go, then long hair might be for you. You'd never have to buy expensive outfits again.
Open Windows in the Car Are the Enemy
Riding in a car with the windows down or the top off is always made to look so glamourous in Hollywood films. In reality, it looks something like this photo here. Long hair doesn't flow backward and wave majestically like a flag on a flag pole. It dances around like a cat that's been thrown in a pool of water and slaps you in your face every chance it gets.
It'll also tangle and make you wish you could actually enjoy having the windows down for once, especially when it's really nice outside, and all you want to do is enjoy the beautiful weather.
Windows Are Also Dangerous Once Closed
Did we mention how windows and long hair don't get along? Well, we meant that they really don't get along. Even when you're trying to roll up the window to keep your hair from whipping you in the face, it'll inevitably get stuck rolling the window up. There's literally no avoiding it. Even if you were to grab every strand possible, at least one would get caught in the window after it is rolled up.
The worst part is, most of the time, you wouldn't even notice it till it's too late and turn your head, only to feel like a toddler is grabbing and yanking at your hair.
Hair Tie Quality Really Makes All the Difference
For someone with long hair, a ponytail holder can be a thing to cherish or hate. They're handy in a pinch, but they can also get tangled up in your hair and snatch a chunk of it when you're taking them off. In fact, this is true of pretty much anything you put on when you have long hair, but ponytail holders, in particular, are supposed to be there to help you manage your hair, not steal it.
Not only that, but it just hurts when you're desperately trying to escape and untangle your hair at the end of the day when you feel like you're just finished with everything in life.
Hitting Friends In The Face Is Part of Life
If you happen to have long hair, or if you happen to be friends with someone who has long hair, then you're probably familiar with this one. Long hair has a habit of waving majestically in the wind and whipping everything in its path. Every time the wind blows, it seems like your hair is at it again, and you look over to see your friend blinking in agony.
They're not crying tears of joy; your hair just stung them in the eye, and if you're not careful, it might do the same to you next.
Cleaning Your Hairbrush Is a Daily Chore
If you have a brush sitting at home, we're probably willing to bet that you know how quickly the hair can accumulate on it, whether you have long hair or not. However, if you do have long hair, then we don't have to tell you anything because you're probably cleaning out your brush every other day already. For context, it's recommended that you clean your hairbrush around every two weeks.
If you have long hair and don't clean out your brush, then it's not long till the entire thing is just unusable because there's so much hair trapped in there.
Not Just Any Towel Will Do the Trick
Unless it's laundry day, you probably have enough large towels to last you through the week. However, slip up even once, and you're going to find yourself trying to make do with a towel that's comically small for the amount of hair that you have. So, you're forced to try and wrap your hair as tightly as you can or just leave some hanging out and not drying at all.
This is usually only a problem when traveling and staying at a hotel or something, but you would think these places would know by now that nobody would rather use those medium-sized towels over a normal-sized towel.
Plastic Doesn't Cut It
If you have long hair and have for a while, then odds are you have more than one brush that ended up like the one in this photo. Plastic simply doesn't cut it when you're trying to untangle a web full of hair day in and day out. However, this is probably for the best since plastic is so bad for the environment, and it encourages you to go out and buy a nice wooden brush.
Still, it can be annoying when the only thing you have on hand is a plastic comb, and it snaps like a twig when simply trying to brush your hair.
Suffering From Rat's Nests
This is what happens if you don't have a good conditioner or if you sleep on tangly hair. This is called a rat's nest, and this poor girl had a bad case of it in this photo. Her mother then had to sit with her and brush all of the tangles out. Not only is it painful to try and straighten everything out, but it's just a really big hassle.
This is how people with long hair learn patience from a very young age. We'd just be ready to go short after one session of dealing with all of this.
Wet Hair Makes It Look Like You Jumped In A Pool
This is why those large towels are so important. If you don't dry your hair properly, then you're going to end up looking like you jumped into a pool when you get to wherever you're going. The water from your hair is going to soak your clothes, and you're going to be left with even more stuff to dry before you go out, and nobody wants that.
This is why you must either blow dry or wrap your hair in a towel after a shower. There's no quickly drying your hair with a towel and then being done.
Zippers Are A Threat to Your Locks
For the other half of the world that enjoys the ease of using a zipper, just know that people with long hair envy you. These little metal fittings like to snag just about anything that gets caught up in them, and that includes long hair if you're not careful. Things can really turn ugly if the zipper refuses to unzip and you're stuck trying not to pull your hair out while getting it untangled.
Zippers are probably responsible for pulling out more clumps of hair than those with long locks would like to admit. Just the thought of it can be anxiety-inducing.
Guys With Long Hair Get Confused for Girls
Some guys out there have better hair than many women, and if you're one of them, then you probably get told that all the time. However, it can also be a struggle when people mistake you for the opposite gender. Unless you're a guy that puts your hair up in a man bun, you probably just let your hair fall straight down, which can cause others to be more than a little confused when they see you from the back.
The whole ordeal is usually embarrassing for both parties, but that's still no reason to go shorter. It just comes with the territory when you're a guy with long hair.
Buying Hair Products In Bulk
The longer your hair, the more it takes to make sure it's well taken care of. Not only do you have to buy special tools, but you usually use way more shampoo and conditioner than someone with short hair. What might last a normal person a couple of weeks is probably gone in half the time for someone with long hair, which can quickly add up in terms of money.
Of course, you could always buy in bulk like the person in this photo did, but do you really want to come out of Costco looking like you run your own beauty salon?
Eating Certain Foods Can Be Challenging
As if all of the reasons mentioned before weren't enough, long hair actually makes it difficult to even eat food, particularly soups. You have to dedicate one hand to holding back your hair while leaning over to make sure you don't spill anything. If you don't, then your hair is going to find its way into your bowl, no matter how careful you are.
And this applies to most other foods as well, though others don't require the same amount of dedication. It's not uncommon for someone with long hair to end up taking a bit out of their own locks.
Wind Is Your Other Worst Enemy
We've covered what wind does to people with long hair in the car and what it can do to friends who stand too close, but it can also simply be blinding. If it's not trying to take out someone's eye, then your long hair is likely trying to make it impossible to see where you're going every time a slight breeze rolls through. This can really annoying if all you're doing is walking down the street.
It can be downright dangerous if you're on a hike or something and you need to see where you're next step is going to be. That's why every person with long hair needs a short-haired companion.
You Own Way Too Many Bobby Pins
While you could just go with a simple bun or ponytail, most high-end events demand that you get your hair done before attending. If you have long hair and want to put it up, then you're going to have to sit at the salon for a couple of hours. What's worse is you're going to need almost a box worth of bobby pins to keep everything in place. By the time you come out of there, it's going to feel like you have a bird's nest on the top of your head.
Then there's the chore of removing all of those pins after you get home, as if you didn't already spend enough time on your hair throughout the day.
You Can't Help but Pose Like This for Selfies
This one isn't strictly for selfies and really applies to just about any photo you take. For some reason, your hair never fails to blow in front of your face right before the photo is snapped, leaving you with a mustache or just with your eyes closed to avoid being whipped by your own hair. The problem is even worse when you're outside, you know, like when you're getting ready to take a group photo.
That lovely group photo can quickly turn into you swinging wildly in the air to contain your hair and nearby friends being lashed in the eyes if a strong wind suddenly kicks up.
Trying Out New Hairstylists Be Like
Okay, so anyone who tries a new hairdresser or barber is going to have a little bit of anxiety their first time going in. But, long hair can be so much trickier to work with, and that new hairdresser isn't familiar with how much or how little you usually get taken off. If they cut too short, then it's going to take months to grow your hair back to the length it was before.
Long hair is also just more difficult to work with if you decide you want to wear it up for that fancy dinner you have coming up. Either way, using a new hairdresser is an act of faith.
Crowding Others' Personal Space
Sometimes long hair can cause others to crowd your personal space, but the opposite can also be true. Long hair doesn't really care where it goes, and if you've ever been sitting in a classroom and your hair fell on the desk behind you, then this photo might bring back some memories. However, it doesn't just apply to classrooms; long hair can crowd others' personal space in movie theaters, on the bus, and pretty much anywhere you're forced to be around people.
However, the person's reaction in this photo might be a little extreme. There's no need to chop off someone's hair just because it landed on your desk.
Always Gotta Do a Back Check
If you have short hair, then you probably have an easier time checking your hair than someone who has a bit more of it. When you have long hair and want to make sure everything looks like it's in order, you literally have to bend over backward to get a good look at everything. You can also just use your phone as a second mirror, like the girl in this photo.
If you don't, then you won't actually be able to see what your hair looks like, at least not the part most people see, which is the back.
Seatbelts Aren't Safe
We need to clarify that title: Seatbelts aren't entirely safe for people with long hair. Whether it's the top of the seatbelt or the part that clicks in, you have to be vigilant to make sure your hair doesn't get caught up in anything. And that's usually all in vain because whether you like it or not, your hair is getting caught up in something.
The worst part is nothing can really be done. Seatbelts save lives, but it's also illegal to ride around without one, so whether you like it or not, you have to buckle up.
People Think You're a Petting Zoo
Anybody with long hair has probably experienced unwanted petting after someone complimented them on their hair. It usually all starts the same way. Someone glares at your hair, and then they give you a compliment, and before you know it, their hands are inches from your face, and they're trying to touch your hair as if they've never seen such a thing before. This is especially true for men with long hair.
However, personal space is a thing people and a very important thing. Some people don't like being touched or treated as a pet to be gawked at.
There Is No Return From A Ponytail or Bun
Remember when we said that a bun was like a nuclear option earlier? Well, this is why. If you put your hair up into a bun or even a ponytail, it's going to look like the doll in this photo after you take it down. There's going to be a weird kink in your hair for the rest of the day, and it'll just be unmanageable no matter what you try to do with it.
It's going to be around another day until you can take a shower and easily wear your hair down after removing a bun, so make sure you don't have any fancy plans the evening you put your hair up.
Strategizing For The Week Ahead
This is another one that most people with short hair never really have to think about, but having long hair actually requires you plan out your week in advance. You have to strategize everything from washing your hair to going to the hairdresser because if you don't, your hair is going to look frizzy or just not its best. If it sounds like a chore, that's because it is.
Having long hair requires an absurd amount of work and mental discipline. You also have to do this while keeping in mind that your hair is probably about to get caught in something really random in the next few seconds.
Hair Spiders Scare You More Than Real Spiders
If you have long hair or live with someone who does, you've likely come across a hair spider or two after you finish having a panic attack. These knotted clumps of hair just seem to fall out and miraculously tangle up together for the sole purpose of looking like a spider. We're not sure what kind of black magic is involved in the making of these creatures, but whatever it is, it's scary and powerful.
The worst part is that they can seemingly appear just about anywhere. You can find them in the shower, in your room, or in the dryer as you're trying to pull out a load of clothes.
Jewelry Is No Simple Task
Not many people think about this one, but long hair makes even a task as simple as putting on a necklace extremely annoying. If you do it wrong, then odds are your hair is going to get tangled in the necklace's clasp and pull all day long. It's hard to make sure that every single strand of your hair is out of the way so as to not get tangled.
What's worse, it sometimes doesn't even matter. Your long hair might get tangled in the necklace, whether you like it or not, and then it even becomes a chore to take the necklace off.
Paranoia Hits When Your Hair Unexpectedly Touches You
If you have short hair and you've ever felt like something is crawling up your leg only to look down and find a strand of hair, then you might be able to relate to this one. It's kind of like that, only having long hair means you're constantly dealing with feeling like someone or something is touching you 24/7. It really makes you paranoid to a certain degree after a while.
That's without even mentioning having this feeling while you're trying to sleep. We get anxious even thinking about what it must be like feeling like something is crawling up your leg all throughout the night.
Your Shower Wall Always Looks Like This
When you have long hair, be prepared to find clumps like this waiting in the shower every time you step in. Not only do they look like modern art pieces, but if they're left there, they have the possibility of clogging your drains. It kind of looks like an animal got into a fight the night off every time you step into the shower if you don't clean up during and after your shower.
Yes, you have to constantly clean while you're taking a shower in the morning, which isn't how most people prefer to start their day, but that's the price of having long hair.
Small Accessories Do Nothing
If you have long hair, then you already know that it's going to be completely pointless to buy anything for your hair that's not supersized and sturdy. Nobody wants a huge hairclip sitting on the top of their head, but what are people with long hair to do? Anything smaller isn't going to be enough to tame your long hair, and it could even break if you try it.
Prepare to never buy anything that's not reinforced or super large and sturdy ever again. If you decide to grow your hair out, it's just going to be a waste of money.
Cutting Hair At Home Is Never a Good Idea
Cutting long hair is easier than cutting short hair, right? Well, it depends. Can you draw a perfectly straight line freehand? If not, then odds are any cuts you make to long hair are going to be noticeably amateur. If you really have shaky hands, then your friend might end up like the girl in this photo. It looks like someone took some hedge clippers to her hair.
However, there is an upside to this. People with long hair can always go shorter and just cut off more hair, while people with shorter hair can't just instantly grow hair to cover up mistakes.
Remembering The Days Of Wired Headphones
If you have long hair and you remember the days of wired headphones, then you're probably glad those days are behind us. There was nothing worse than relaxing and listening to some music only to take your headphones out and realize you'd have to spend 20 minutes untangling them. It was sort of the same feeling as pulling headphones out of your pocket and then having to untangle them before listening to music, only it involved pain.
It's a good thing Bluetooth headphones are finally a thing, and those days are behind us. Now, if only every other object could somehow become tangle-proof, those with long hair would be set.
Holding Onto Hair Ties
There are few things as precious to people with long hair than hair ties. They're sort of like a smoker's lighter. They must be guarded at all costs and still always somehow end up being lost or put in someone else's pocket. It can also be a pain when you leave the house and forget to bring one with you. The next thing you know, the wind is blowing, and your hair is whipping people in the face, and you don't have a hair tie to tame it.
If you did happen to bring a hair tie with you, then odds are you only have one, which can quickly become a friend's homemade slingshot if you drop your guard even for a second.
Fearing Humidity
Unless your hair is somehow naturally straight to the point you've never experienced frizzy hair, then you know how important it is to dry your hair after a shower. Using a blow dryer to dry your hair isn't great for it, but it beats walking around all day looking like you've been struck by lightning. It gets even worse if you happen to live in a place that has a humid environment.
If you do, then frizzy hair is just an unavoidable part of your existence on most days. You just have to blow dry as quickly as you can and hope for the best.
Unexpected Things Get Tangled In Your Hair
We've covered a couple of ways people with long hair get their hair tangled already, but most of those make sense. What doesn't make sense are the everyday objects you never would've imagined would be a problem before you grew your hair out long. Things like the pen shown in this photo or chairs or even your watch. These are all things people with long hair have to watch out for on a daily basis.
If you don't, then you can quickly find that your hair hasn't gotten tangled up in something else yet again and now you have t carefully untangle it.
Canceled Plans Are Tragic When You've Already Done Your Hair
There's nothing wrong with canceled plans. In fact, they can be a welcome respite from the constant social pressures of life. However, if you have long hair and spend all day getting ready, only to be left with (finally) perfect-looking hair, someone canceling plans last minute can be quite annoying. You're simply left at home after spending hours struggling to get all of the frizz out of your hair and make it look straight.
Of course, this now gives you a chance to kick back and relax after a day of anxiously getting ready, but it also makes all that effort feel like it was for nothing.
Sitting And Waiting
Remember when we mentioned frizz and blowdryers? Another downside to letting your long hair dry naturally is the wait time. If you have short hair, then you're probably not familiar with this, but it seems like for every inch of hair you have, there are 10 minutes of dry time. Don't quote us on that, but we're sure if there's a study out there somewhere, the scientific findings are similar.
So, you're just left to wait for an hour with your hair wrapped up in a towel and nothing to do. This is probably the reason men say women take so long to get ready; it's unavoidable with long hair.