7 Reasons Not to Let a Bad Haircut Freak You out ...

Before you descend into despair at your bad haircut, step back and take a closer look. Is it really as bad as it seems? It might just be the shock at making a change of style, if you've gone for a drastic difference. Once you've grown used to the new style, it might not seem anywhere near as awful as you first thought. Give it time, and you may grow to love it.

If you're not happy with the cut then don't pretend to the stylist that you love it. They're not a mind-reader and have to work with what you've asked them to do. If at any point you're not happy with the way the cut is going, say so. The stylist can then alter the cut; it may only require small changes to give you a cut that you're happy with.

If you do end up with a disastrous cut, don't panic. Hair grows pretty quickly, so the cut will soon grow out. Of course, if you've decided to go from long to short, it won't return to its previous length overnight. But if it's simply that you don't like your hair as short as it now is, you won't have that long to wait before it's reasonably longer.

Our self-image is often closely connected with our hair - if we have a great cut, we feel confident and happy. So when a cut goes wrong we can feel very down about it. Relax if that happens to you. It's only hair, and you won't be stuck with this bad cut forever! A bad cut is never permanent. A few weeks or months and your horrible haircut experience will be behind you.

There's always the option of covering up a bad cut. This doesn't mean that you have to wear a wig until your real hair grows (although that's one possibility). Scarves can look really cute, and cover up a lot. It's also a good excuse to wear a hat, which keeps you warm in the cold weather and is also very stylish. Or you can pick up some clip-in extensions for a temporary fix.

Sometimes what appears to be a bad cut can be rescued by simply styling your hair differently. Try changing the parting of your hair; swapping from a center to a side parting may make all the difference. Or maybe using a product to give your hair some volume will make it more flattering.

Even if you can't rescue a bad cut and are stuck with it until it grows out, the experience can be of some use. Some cuts only work with certain types of hair, and the cut may look wrong on you because of this. At least you know now if the cut doesn't work for you, and can avoid similar styles in the future.

When you end up with a bad cut, it can make you want to weep. At best you feel disappointed that you didn't get a great cut that you love. But it may not be as bad as it seems - try these tips, and your bad hair days will soon be behind you. What's your worst salon experience?