The effect of hairdressing on the self-esteem of men and women

This study investigated the effect of enhancement of physical appearance through hairdressing on the self-esteem of men and women. In a pilot study, 20 clients (equal genders) of a hairdressing salon completed a 33-item questionnaire on aspects of self-esteem, prior to having their hair dressed, and the same number did so after hairdressing. Later, 100 clients completed 20-item parallel-form versions of the same instrument both before and after hairdressing. Women initially scored significantly higher on the self-esteem measure than did men, and they also achieved a significant gain following hairdressing, whereas men did not. There was a small but insignificant gain in inherent self-esteem with age for women, but not for men. Our finding of a higher initial self-esteem for females runs counter to the majority of previous results, but the gain following physical enhancement is in line with earlier studies. Possible influencing factors include the psychoanalytic view that haircutting (for men in particular) may symbolize bodily loss, that the social ambiance of the salon may have played a part, that social comparison may be involved, and that hairdressers may play a counselling role.