Unconventional hair colors

Nurses General Nursing

Published

  1. Are wild hair colors ok in the hospital environment?

    • 32
      Yes, obviously. The fact that people seriously think hair color is a critical element of professional credibility is dumb.
    • 35
      It depends on the color. A nice dark allover purple? Sure, why not. Rainbow stripes or Jered Leto-Joker green? Maybe not.
    • 67
      No. Whether you like it or not people judge based on appearance, and bright blue hair might come across as immature or unprofessional.
    • 2
      Youths!! RUN!!!

136 members have participated

What are your thoughts on unconventional hair colors (purple, pink, turquoise, etc.) in the workplace?

I'm 30 years old and I've always wanted to try out a fun, totally unnatural hair color but until recently I've always been far too timid to actually go for it. For a while now I've been dying to try out the gorgeous silvery lavender or baby pink hues I see on other people.

My nursing school had an explicit "natural human hair colors only" rule, but now that I'm working for an employer that has no set hair color policy in place (and is also not referenced at all in policies relating to hygiene, general appearance, etc.) I'm wondering if I could actually pull this off.

For reference, I work on a tele/step down unit in a moderately conservative area. I ran this by my favorite house supervisor (for generational reference she would be a gen-xer) and she wasn't excited about the idea. Her position was that the hospital environment is where appearing to be "professional" is paramount, and that a huge chunk of the patient population is 65+ and might not look kindly on it. In short, pink hair would undermine my professionalism.

I understand her reasoning there, but I also feel strongly that hair color (or tattoos, for that matter) have absolutely nothing to do with competence or professionalism. If everything else about my appearance is boring and conservative as usual what difference does hair color make? Additionally, I think she's underestimating the older generations she's worried about offending. It's a bit of a stereotype to assume that all of our older patients would be clutching their pearls or eyeing me with suspicion just because of purple hair, right?

Thoughts?

Specializes in PICU.

While hair color itself does not dictate whether one is a professional or not, it depends on the work environment. If the organization dictates no natural hair color, no matter how great a nurse you are, you will not be competent nor professional. A professional adheres to the rules, follows policy, listens to those who command respect.

If you want to challenge the rule, you could show studies (evidence based, of course) of the true impact of hair color on your patient population. With true Evidenced based studies you may be able to promote change. Until then, you asked a professional, someone you trust, and the reply was not what you hoped.

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Critical Care.

I work in a hospital with very relaxed rules about personal appearance. Purple hair? Totally fine. Nose pierced? Great. Full tattooed sleeves? No issues as long as they're G-rated. Even our uniforms are a set color pant and any t-shirt we want - superhero shirts are really popular.

But if I worked in a place where my manager disapproved? I wouldn't dare mess with it. Every hospital has a different culture.

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Specializes in ER, Med-surg.

While personally I agree that I think the concerns frequently voiced by management about things like unnatural hair colors, piercings, tattoos etc as likely to be overblown, and I have worked in environments and with people whose dramatic body art and hair did not seem to affect their reception by patients (and in some cases may even have made certain patients feel more at home- we forget at times that not every nervous patient is a conservative elder), it doesn't sound like you're in a receptive environment for that. There may not be language in your handbook about it yet, but I wouldn't be shocked if you found that handbook being revised shortly after you showed up with pink hair.

If you're really determined, I know of several nurses who wore their hair in unnatural colors or dramatic cuts and just wore a scrub cap at work all the time, similar to the way people with arm tattoos wear long sleeves at work. They can't object to your hair at work if they never see it.

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However, the facility I worked at previously does have a policy in place: NO unnatural hair colors. And as this facility is owned by the largest system in the area, a lot of facilities have that policy in place. It is going to depend on the policy of the facility. I would suggest that you wait until after you are hired and know the exact policy. Sometimes unnatural hair color can be a deal breaker.

I've always had to roll my eyes at policies against "unnatural" hair color. Nothing looks more unnatural on some people than blonde.

As with other forms of body art, you may have the freedom to choose it, and it may have consequences, whether that's fair or not. The fun with hair is that you can always change it again.

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Specializes in Family Medicine, Tele/Cardiac, Camp.

I would have to add another option to your poll that's along the lines of "it depends on the facility and the geographic region" I think the facility and geographical area have a huge influence on whether or not having unnaturally colored hair is appropriate. In general, I think it looks more professional having naturally-colored hair, but I've also had my hair some unnatural colors in years past. I have dirty blonde hair and the last time I worked in a hospital setting I had dark purple highlights in it that couldn't be seen if I styled my hair a certain way. My employers were fine with that provided that when I was at work it was styled so the purple couldn't be seen.

However, now that I'm a provider I work at a place where unnatural hair color is frowned upon - espeically among the providers.

I would say that if one of your higher ups said it isn't a good idea, then it probably isn't a good idea.

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Hi there, I have a small strip of pink in my hair. They never said anything. The old fogies gotta go! Try it. If they tell you get rid of it, you can always get it colored back near your color.

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Specializes in Psychiatric.

Just do it. Tie it up in a nice sleek bun or have it styled really neatly and go to work like its nothing out of the ordinary. Work like usually do and don't make it a whole 'look at me! Aren't I wacky!?'. Patients are sure to comment and you can reply with things like 'I thought I might brighten your day!' or 'a change is as good as a holiday'.

Why I'm saying this? I currently have pastel purple hair and over the past year have had pastel blue, pastel pink, platinum blonde and now pastel purple. I wear my hair in a neat high bun with a side swept fringe (bang). My boss loved it, my patients eyes lit up when I walked in (particularly older clients) and my colleagues called me 'the fairy godmother'.

In this day and age, I'm fed up with judgments. I understand extreme tattoos, bright green spiky hair etc. being controversial however a pastel hair colour? Come on.

If your management dislike it then just dye it back, no big deal.

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Specializes in OR.

I went through a stage not too long ago where my hair was bright red, bright blue, teal, green, purple or all of the above. My excuse was that I wore a cap all day (OR nurse.) I got a number of compliments and the constant question of "what the hair color du jour was). It was quite fun. I have since transferred to a department where I do not cover my hair. I have settled down to a nice dark-ish reddish purple (don't really know what it's called other than something the guy that does my hair came up with. It is clearly NOT a natural color but it's not "you can see me coming from a mile away" either. I personally could not care less about the color of anyone's hair. Unfortunately some do.

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Specializes in ICU.

My unit has one nurse who has straight up neon bubblegum pink as her bottom layer of hair. She's been there something like 15 years and hasn't been fired yet. Her bold color inspired me to try out a bright purple for a while - it blended in really well with my red hair, and I got a lot of compliments on it. I never got threatened with a write-up, either.

Bleached hair is just so high maintenance that I have already stopped doing it and have put henna on the bleached part again to make it stronger. If it didn't ruin the texture of my hair, I would have kept it forever - it looked nice.

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One time I got a very distinctive two tone hair color done at a professional salon (for a professional price!). I guess there might be a name for it, but I don't know, it was dark brunette with a plum undertone. It actually was not one of the neon tones that are popular lately. Everyone thought it looked great except the one person whose opinion mattered to me, so my feel good bubble was burst. Not working in nursing at that particular time. Seriously doubt that it would have caused a stir.

Have met an RN who I have been told changes the color of her streak from time to time. She's the boss, so anyone who thinks she is unprofessional in appearance doesn't have much of a say in the matter!

If you want to, and you are allowed, then do what you want. It is your hair and your appearance. How you feel about it is all that should matter to you.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, LTACH, LTC, Home Health.

Did you guys feel that??:nailbiting: I think it's an earthquake!!! No, wait......oh, it's just Miss Nightingale turning over in her grave.:(

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Specializes in Psychiatric.
Did you guys feel that??:nailbiting: I think it's an earthquake!!! No, wait......oh, it's just Miss Nightingale turning over in her grave.:(

Oh Miss Nightingale! My hair dye has seeped through my skull and into my brain making me not wash my hands - ever! I am also unusually shutting blinds and NEVER attending to the hygiene of either myself OR my patients. I have noone else to blame Miss N, it's either my nursing skills and competence or Schwarzkopf and I choose Schwarzkopf!

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