I think it's always a bad idea to do something drastic. The changes you go through may emphasize your loss and you might feel worse. However, I'm all for a little color change, re-styling and trim. I need one myself right now!

i've actually never done this, and i'm on the fence

for one, i don't think it's that bad of an idea to take a drastic step, unless you're thinking of shaving your head or cutting a mullet. just a normal haircut is okay, even if it's considerably shorter than you're used to. hair grows back!

but on the other hand, for me, i look way better with long hair, and the only thing that has helped me get over a breakup in the past has been to meet and/or hook up with a hotter man! therefore, i would never cut my hair because i look better longer. what i would do would be to make sure i look stellar at all times!

i actually chopped off my hair right before a break-up. the haircut was something i had been planning on doing for awhile, since it was finally long enough to donate to locks of love. but the chopping of the hair happened to coincide with the break-up.

Why not?
Hair grows. It's not like it's a permanent decision. I've done it before and it really marks the occasion, the change for the better, a fresh start.
On one of these occasions, I went from shoulder length to buzz cut, so yah, I guess I've been known to go to extremes.

I did it!! I broke up with my boyfriend in March and cut ten inches off my hair, then went back about a month later and cut off another 3 or 4. I dont regret it one bit, but at the same time, I had been wanting to get my hair cut for a very long time but my ex would always tell me "Dont cut your hair, I love it long" So I left it long

My friend dyed her hair after a break-up. She didn't like it after the first time, because you could hardly tell, so she went back to the salon. This time her hairdresser did a brighter color and it looks good, but the hairdresser told her that it's a "rule" not to cut or dye someone's hair after a break-up until they are sure of what they want. I'm not that close to my hairdressers, so they would have no idea. The only reason it's bad is that you are now that girl who cut her hair after a break-up. It's such a cliche.

never heard or seen this before

I am really close to my hairdresser, so after my last break up...3 years of togetherness...I went in and told her to do whatever she wanted to make me look good. It was kind of like a make over show, and I didn't see the results till the end. I loved the hair cut and have stuck with it ever since!
It happened to coincide with my graduating from college, so it was a fresh start all around.

Bad idea... you always regret it

@ K8 rckstr: Eh. Have you read earlier comments? Seems you don't always regret it, doesn't it?

I've cried after a drastic haircut even when there wasn't a traumatic breakup to deal with at the same time. Knowing that about myself I would opt for a color change and trim but hold off on the chopping until I was over the breakup.

Ummm...it's just hair. It grows back!

I just went tthrough a bad break up but I can't cut my hair!!

but I did cut the tips by myself. lol. too. I was a red head for a while but I'm gonna go back to black.

But I have lost a lot of weight due to my break up and that's a good thing right?
Change is good after a break up.
of course it hurts.

but time will heal the pain.

horrible idea because your emotions are getting the best of you...

but whenever i went through break ups, i would just color my hair dark or with highlights. my length never suffered!

morganfay : seems a little confrontational?
hmmm?
In my experience, you always regret it. when I've done it, when my friends have done it, when my sister recently did it...all regrets.
I thought this was a forum to state your opinion, not morganfay's opinion. My bad.

I'll be honest, every time I have a long-term relationship end, I cut my hair. Sometimes it's drastic, sometimes it's not. But the hair always ends up cut. And I don't have an issue with being a cliche. It makes me feel better, since they were probably the only reason I was keeping it long anyway.

And as you can see from my picture, I'm pretty damn happy with my haircut, k8.

congrats.

I always cut my hair after a break-up. I have even cut my hair again once I've recovered from really bad break-ups. I also chopped my hair off when I was at really low points in my life and relationship, and that I needed to start being more and not the long-haired beauty my mom wishes I was.

k8rckstr, cutting my hair after my first big breakup was the best thing I could have possibly done! It looked so cute, and I kept the cut for years.

Im glad for you
seriously people... Im stating MY opinion...you don't have to keep bringing me into yours... Im speaking from MY experience... If you changed your hair and are happy, more power to you and Im glad you don't have the regrets that Ive seen from other people in my life.

I think the issue people took is that you said "you always regret it," taking their experiences into your own, so people are eager to show you that no, we don't always regret it! When you make a blanket, untrue statement like that, people are going to have reactions of some sort!

lol wow...

I did this once... but only because I wouldn't have had the nerve to change my hair otherwise! I had been thinking of a certain cut for a long time, but I never had the guts to change it... Then the breakup happened, and I went all crazy and got it done. And I loved it.

i say yes! i did it, and i bought a purse i probably didn't need and shoes and new make up!
those things made me feel good at the time because i wanted to look better than EVER and they did make me feel good, and more confident. i knew i looked good and wanted my ex to miss me!

i guess i did this without thinking about it. but i tend to let my hair grow for a while then just randomly cut it without caring too much about it.

i do think that, in general, change is good after a breakup. Anything to make you feel refreshed and new and better.

Great idea in my experience. After I broke up of my boyfriend of 4 years, I cut 24 inches off my hair. It used to be down to my tailbone and my boyfriend loved it. When I dumped him I chopped it to my chin and then I loved it Kept it short ever since.

I've done it twice. I liked my hair so it was fine but it didn't help with the break up at all. If it helped at all it wasn't the physical act of cutting my hair but the sort of therapy I get from David(the guy who does my hair).

Its therapy.

I cling to the idea that longer hair is feminine and i never want to admit it just suits me to be a mid length.
I was listening to a Serbian song which says 'i cut my hair and re-did my make up' and i took the kitchen scissors and chopped off 8 inches.

I gave myself the best cut and layer of my life (it was still long enough to classify as mid-long) and im now engaged to the man i met as a result of wanting to show off my transformation

i'd probably dye it.
the other day i was telling hubby how i just CANT cut my hair, i cant. id cry so much. it'd probably be a nice change, but i cant. just cant. cant elaborate either.

I think that it depends on the emotional place that you're coming from. If you prefer your hair short and you were only keeping it long because of your SO's preferences, then it can be a good, liberating thing. However, if you usually prefer it long and are thinking about cutting it just to do something drastic, that's when you might need to wait it out until you're feeling more rational. If you're in a huge amount of emotional pain, you might not be thinking clearly. And even though it does grow back, it can take a long time and until it does, it may serve as a reminder of the pain that led you to that rash step. The bottom line is that it depends on who you are - with or without the relationship. At the end of the day, it's about going out in the world looking and feeling like the best version of yourself - and only you can determine who that is.

Been there, did that, haven't looked back since! I have no regrets. In fact, I've never gotten so many compliments on my hair. Cliche? Maybe so, but I love it!

I've done it twice. I don't really think it's a bad idea, just as long as you don't go too far.

i wouldnt want to be the judge of someones elses life but i have cut my hair after every break up. after my one ex told me he loved my long hair--i cut it as short as i could after i found he cheated on me cause i couldnt stand the thought that he liked anything about me i hated him so much

but im not saying you *should* do it but i have

As long as it doesn't turn out horridly, why not? Hair grows back after all, and you can also always re-dye it.

I did this after I finally broke up with a boyfriend who was going nowhere, and I felt liberated. I've LOVED my hair cut, and I've only made it shorter and more fitting to me.

I once got a pixie cut after a boyfriend severely pissed me off and I was about to dump him. Other than that I had one excruciatingly painful break-up and took about 2 years to really get over it... I got a crazy awesome tattoo to celebrate when I finally felt liberated.

its a great idea. its the best way to start anew in my opinion. A single hair cut can change your attitude and self image dramatically.

I think it's a good idea.
Hair always grows back, just like a heart always heals.

Kia-I also got a tattoo after my bad break up. I was with my ex off and on for 5 years. At the time I had 4 tattoos and he told me I shouldnt get anymore because I was starting to look like a "biker chick" He also told me that I shouldnt cut my hair short. So I listened to him and kept my hair long and didnt get anymore tattoos. (PUKE!) After I moved out of our duplex I chopped all my hair off and got a huge new rib piece and havnt looked back since. I dont regret either one of those decisions. It is incredibly liberating. After I did it, I couldnt believe that I actually let him tell me what to do! At the time I thought I was doing it because I loved him and wanted him to be happy. But now Im in a new relationship and hes nothing like my ex, (he doesnt care what I do with my hair, he thinks my tattoos are sexy, etc) And now I see that it was his way of controlling me. To quote Rilo Kileys song "oooo it feels good to be free" haha.

Hell no! I love my hair.

I've done this! I think it was my way of kind of saying, look at me I'm beautiful I'm doing great and you screwed up by letting me go. I don't know. But I know I've done that, more than once ! =P

I gave my heart entirely to my ex-boyfriend only to have it broken in the end. It was devastating to me that he could treat me so cruel after giving me so much love and attention to begin with. We had a long distant relationship but we managed to get together every few weeks. Anyway although he won't admit it I think cheating had a great deal to do with his changes. So after we broke up I made some promises to myself and decided to chop off 28 inches of my hair to signify my new change. Also he didn't want me to cut my hair so once he was gone I surely did what I wanted. However once he caught wind he said he had planned to get back with me and that I had now ruined that chance.... HA HA HA! Games are for the weak and I am still happy with my look.