Getting Bangs
Liz Eike
You’re getting a little bored with your hair. It’s not that it looks bad; it’s just that you’ve been sporting the same style for what feels like ages now and you’re ready for something new. Should you cut it short? Get highlights, an ombre, or maybe even dye all of it electric blue? You’ve been messing with the idea of changing your hair for a while now when she appears.
She can be anywhere. Maybe she shows up on your social media feed, or maybe she is some random person you see at the grocery store. If she is a celebrity, she usually takes the form of either Taylor Swift or Zooey Deschanel. No matter who she is, there is one thing about her that immediately catches your eye: her perfect bangs. Suddenly, you know exactly what you want to do to your hair.
Like any new haircut, getting bangs can be a risky decision. If this is the first time you’ve considered getting them since you last shuddered over the mushroom-bowl-cut-abomination in your second grade class photo, read on. You will want to know this information before you take the leap.
If this isn’t the first time you’ve tangoed with the fringe, you’ll know that bangs can be like a bad relationship. You have them for a while, maybe a year or two at most, before you inevitably get tired of them for one reason or another. You commit to growing your bangs out. It takes forever for your hair to stop looking awkward. Then, just when you’re back to the all-one-length life, you walk into your living room to find your sister or roommate watching New Girl, and you’re wistfully recalling the good old days. The next thing you know, you’re back in your stylist’s chair – or worse, staring into your bathroom mirror as you lift a pair of scissors to your forehead.
There are a lot of inconvenient things that come with having bangs, but it can all be worth it if you’re particularly easygoing or patient. If you’ve made it this far and you’re still considering taking the plunge, here are the biggest cons that you should know about.
The worst thing about bangs is how high-maintenance they are. If you don’t wash your hair daily, you will definitely have to start washing your bangs separately once or twice between regular washes to avoid the greasy, stringy look. Furthermore, styling bangs often calls for using heat from a straightener or a blow dryer, which can eventually fry them. On top of that, a little wind can undo your hard work in moments. If you’re bent on keeping your bangs for a long time, they will need to be trimmed rather frequently. Finally, having your hair in contact with your forehead almost 24/7 will definitely cause you to break out up there.
Some of these issues can be managed, though, and bangs can even provide a few small vain benefits. For instance, your bangs will cover up any forehead acne it causes even as it works diligently to give you more. Of course, there is the main reason for which you are even thinking about this in the first place: bangs are cute! There are so many different shapes and styles of bangs that you are almost certain to find one that suits you and the shape of your face. They make any hairstyle more interesting, from ponytails and braids to headbands and beanies. You can also use a heat protectant spray to help ward off the bad effects of heat on your hair, and frequent trimming means you won’t have to live with any potential damage for long.
In the end, once you’ve caught the fringe fever, there is little to be done other than to try them and see how you like them. If you do decide to go for it, though, I implore you not to cut them yourself.
Edited by Emelyn Ehrlich
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