age to dye hair?

Hermia

I started dying my hair in my first year of secondary school. I always bought the dye myself and never chose colours that would cause problems at school so there really wasn't a reason for my parents to object. Everyone at my school died their hair, it was fun seeing what colour people chose.

My cousin dyed his hair dark brown when he was a teenager. He is naturally very fair and at his (rough) school that meant you were gay. He found he got a lot less hassle when he went dark.

peachyprice

At 14 they're starting to make their own fashion statements. My son decided he didn't want his hair cut anymore and grew it to well below shoulder length (has hust had it cut to about chin length, but will; no dount grow it again)

I know quite a few children who have been allowed to colour their hair for the holidays with semi-permanent dyes that would be gone by the time they went back to school, perhaps this is the case?

Whatever the reason I don't think 14 is too young, no-one bats an eyelid at the 14 yo girls who dye their hair, it should be any different for boys.

xoxo_2

I've been dying mine since I was about 12. Most of the girls in my year at school had dyed hair or highlights at that age.

I don't think 14 is too young at all.

jcr16

i was about 14, i was at high school and it was just something i think every girl did. i didn't want to do the bottle blonde, but i used tt dye it red or a darker shade of my natural brown. at end of day it isn't forever, it fades or washes out.

i'm not sure how i would feel if i dd did, as she has beautiful long blonde hair. but as long as we talked about it first and she was willing to either let me help so it was even etc and she didn't do it behind my back as a revenge sort of trick, then i can't see anything major with it.

jellyhead

It might be a semi-permanent dye. If it is permanent and he changes his mind or doesn't do the roots then it will look silly as it grows out, but so what? It's his choice, and by the time he's applying for jobs it would have grown out, or he'll be dying it regularly.

If my 14 year old wants to dye his hair I'd insist on semi-permanent to begin with, I think.

School don't allow outlandish hair, but they would probably allow black hair, or a natural-ish red.

Plans_all_plans

I agree with you red devil that 14 is too young to be dying one's hair. HOWEVER, I would be prepared to relax my attitude to this with my own child (despite never having dyed my hair myself - I'm 25 now) depending on circumstances.

My reasoning behind this is that I feel teenagers need some sort of room to grow as a person in their own right and if the worst you're confronted with as your child grows up is that they want to dye their hair, then I'd consider you to be lucky!

My mum was ultra-controlling and her answer to everything I asked as a teen was a big fat no. I know some of my requests were unreasonable, but in the end I just resented her SO much, as even smaller things I'd requested permission for were denied.

With my own DD I will be picking my battles wisely: saying no when I feel things may represent a risk to her, but saying yes when I'm happy that she's just expressing herself.

My SIL has it sussed: 2 teens, no rebelliousness, no backchat, politeness, good grades, they are the all round popular kids at school too. I've watched her closely and plan to emulate her parenting style! She gives a bit on the less important things and puts her foot down on others. It seems to be an approach that allows for mutual respect and understanding.

jellyhead

People seem horrified by black hair dye - much more so than they would by other colours. My mother refused to allow me black hair, even though she took my sister and I for highlights and sister bleached her hair. Something about the black revolted her, as if it meant I'd be worshipping Satan or biting the heads off bats or something.

She was worried what people at church, and school teachers would think - because having black hair would SAY something about me - I can't think what, because in my eyes it was no different to her own highlights and my sister's bleached hair. My sister wore too much make-up and too little clothing, and with the bleached hair she looked like a hooker. I used to get so angry that my mum put so much pressure on me and refused to allow me to be a goth, because at least goths covered their bodies up instead of flaunting them. WHY did she think that the way I wanted to express myself was worse than my sister's look? Teenagers can get very cross at overly-restrictive parents

I remember at a social club for teenagers from different churches in the town one girl had been told that her black hair dye was unacceptable and would lead to sex before marriage! The boys often faced problems too, when they wanted to grow their hair - a few of them wore t-shirts saying 'Jesus had long hair too'.

Older people seem so frightened by black hair for some reason.

peachyprice

jellyhead wrote: »

The boys often faced problems too, when they wanted to grow their hair - a few of them wore t-shirts saying 'Jesus had long hair too'.

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

My son would LOVE that T-Shirt, to go with his 'Jesus is my caddy' one.

loulou123

When i was 14 i dyed blond streaks in my brown hair and then dyed those bits bright pink! Did ask my mum 1st and she wasnt too keen, so i just went to a friends and did it there!

I think 14 is the sort of age where you start to 'worry' more about your appearance, and try things like this out, so i think its fine as long as done safely and all the skin testing precautions are carried out.

podperson

I was allowed to dye my hair at 14 but generally just in the school holidays as my school was very strict on things like that. I have dark hair that doesn't pick up colour very well and really wanted to bleach it so I could have bright red and purple like some of my friends - my mum gave a big thumbs down to that and I do thank her for it now when some of those same friends have hair in horrible condition