The Wall Street Journal reports on yet another casualty of the flagging economy: decent haircuts. As consumers confront dwindling bank accounts, they’re taking the scissors into their own hands – sometimes, with disastrous results.

In fact, bad self-haircuts have become so commonplace that a few hair salons are actually enjoying a bump from increased “corrective” business. Carmine Minardi at the Minardi Salon in New York told the Journal: “We get a lot of people who screw up their hair.”

He estimates that roughly a third of all business now consists of “corrective” styling… In Idaho Falls, Idaho, Melodie McBride’s salon handles three or four repair jobs a week. One client “looked like his head had been through a thrasher,” she says. Another man came in with an eyebrow that had been mistakenly shaved off.”

Which isn’t to say that salons aren’t suffering.

In a January poll of 600 salons, about 72% said they have seen a dropoff in customer spending.

Nor is it to say that consumers are incapable of doing their own haircuts. According to Haircutting For Dummies author Jeryl Spear, all it takes is a little practice — and decapitation:

“If you could just take your head off and put it in your lap, you’d be OK cutting the back on your own.”

Per Capita Savings: Home Barbering Grows in Recession, With Hairy Results
[Wall Street Journal]

(Photo: TheGiantVermin)

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