by Marlin Bressi

Created on: April 24, 2009

I spent the majority of my teenage years with bright blue hair. Like most teenagers, I was on a quest of self-discovery, eager to express my individuality to the world. However, unlike many teenagers, my parents were very encouraging. In fact, when I decided to go back to my natural color, my mother tried to talk me out of it because she felt that the blue hair really brought out my eyes.

Ten years later, I now color people's hair for a living. Many of my color clients are teenagers, and their reasons for coloring their hair are no different than the reasons I had when I was a teenager. Everyone goes through this phase; it is a rite of passage. Teenagers have the need to find ways to make themselves stand out from everyone else. This phase can take many forms, and can potentially be dangerous. Some kids experiment with drugs, others are promiscuous, and others try to stand out by the way they dress. No matter what form this phase takes, I believe that the reason behind it is always the same: Teenagers just want to be unique.

For most teenagers, everyday life affords very little opportunity to stand out from the crowd. For young adults, life is quite regimented: they wake up at a certain time, they go to school at a certain time, they eat dinner at a certain time, and they even hang out with their friends at certain times. They are forced to maintain a routine that doesn't allow the opportunity to be unique. When this happens, it is only natural for a teenager to rebel against conformity and to find ways to express their individuality.

While some parents may frown upon their children constantly experimenting with haircolor, I say let them color their hair all they want. It's relatively inexpensive, it's fun, and it's not going to cause any permanent damage. Compared to drugs, alcohol, sex, body piercings, or tattoos, experimenting with haircolor is harmless and risk-free. Sure, your kid may look like a freak, but if that's the worst of what he or she does, you've done an outstanding job as a parent.

It is no surprise that the teenagers who rebel the most and the most dangerously are those who have been forced to live a life with strict rules and regulations, which plants the seeds of rebellion. Experimenting with haircolor allows kids to rebel in a safe and unharmful way. And just like my own mother, you might discover that your teenager looks good with blue hair.

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