I Just Got a Breakup Haircut Like Half of the Broken Hearted Opt For

Turns out half of Americans break up and head to the salon

I had to make this photo a little too close up for my aging self’s liking but I didn’t think my friends wanted to be included in my breakup haircut musings.

As a relationship expert, I get pitched a lot of interesting stories.

I couldn’t resist this one because it was fun.

And I was intrigued because I recently got my own breakup chop.

I’m calling it my post-divorce hairdo. It’s the most dramatic change I have made since I had my first child. It may not look like it but it’s drastic for this girl.

I chopped six inches off of my historically long hair.

When I heard a study showed half of Americans do the same I wanted to know more. That’s men and women who opt for a change after heartache.

I can’t lie.

My new bob makes me feel like a new person with a new beginning.

The six inches of hair I shed might as well have been ten pounds. A weight feels as if it has been lifted. I’m walking and talking a little lighter. I’m feeling a little bit better.

Americans and celebrities alike feel the same way.

Take, for instance, 67 Celebrity Breakup Haircuts We’ll Never Forget in Cosmopolitan. Even famous faces feel the need for a snip or shear once they are newly single.

Something about a breakup makes us want to make up with ourselves.

All Things Hair by Unilever conducted a May 2023 study of 1,000 individuals to get the skinny on the phenomenon of breakup hair. This survey involved both men and women from ages 18 to 60. The study was conducted by 3 Gem Research & Insights.

55% percent of Americans opt to change their hair after heartbreak.

68.3% of women will splurge for a crop or a clip after a boohooing breakup more than men will. Interestingly, men seem to be more strategic. Because 87.5% of guys will change their look in order to win their ex-love back.

I wish the study had said one thing.

Whether or not that actually works.

If you really want to break down the details of cut, color, and style, the study says this:

61% of those surveyed said they cut their hair, 56% chose an entirely new hair color and 46% went with a new style. Men are more likely to change their hairstyle rather than their hair color. Not a big surprise there.

The survey investigated the emotional reasons men and women decide to chop their locks after breaking up with their significant other. It’s a move that attempts to make our outward appearance match our inward one.

The 1,000 survey respondents said their new hairdo was intended to try something new, feel more confident, or simply move on. Does it work? Can changing our face-framing locks soften the bruise of lost love?

61% of those surveyed reported they did feel more confident with 40% saying they felt beautiful. An encouraging 39% said they felt free and 38% felt empowered. These are all positive vibes in a post-breakup world.

7% of individuals said they felt no different and 4% regretted their new hairstyle.

Men have a 12% more likelihood of feeling neutral or negative about altering their hair.

It seems the survey shows that women are far more willing to push the boundaries of breakup bobs, colors, and styles. It’s probably not surprising since women have historically had the luxury of playing more with their hairstyles.

It’s also not surprising that the study found a need for cosmetic change post-breakup.

As a relationship expert, I can say we can’t control much of what happens during the demise of our romantic partnerships. We can’t control other people. We can only control our own behavior. It makes sense that reclaiming our physical choices may give us a sense of reclaiming other aspects of ourselves.

It also makes sense that it conveys a feeling of putting an unpleasant time in our lives behind us.

The celebrity breakup bang trend is in line with the average American.

Men and women can use a lift after an emotional heartache.

As an individual, I can concur with the results of this particular study.

I feel better after a dramatic hair change.

I typically prefer my long hair. This is only the second time I’ve had short hair. But I’m loving it. I like feeling a little different and edgier than my typical hairstyle.

I like the sense that I’m tackling the world with a new look.

I feel like the past is farther behind me.