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While many of you are completely unaware that you host a phobia of haircuts, there is an actual name for your fears. Tonsurephopia. Sadly it can have a serious impact on confidence, self-esteem, and appearance. The fear of haircuts.

While some people look forward to visiting their hair salon for a cut, treatment, or style, other people look upon these visits with a sense of dread. For some, a trip to the hair salon is an event that can provoke profound anxiety and fear, so much so that some individuals avoid haircuts altogether.

Why are some people afraid of getting a simple haircut? We've all seen small children cry as they get their first haircut. Is a haircut phobia simply a grown-up version of this experience? The answer, it seems, is not quite so simple.

What is a Haircut Phobia?

Haircut phobias are actually a form of specific phobias. Other specific phobias include things such as a fear of needles, dentists, and flying. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, more than 6.3 million American adults suffer from some type of specific phobia. Women are twice as likely to suffer from this type of anxiety disorder as men.

While many people may report experiencing such worries, a phobia involves more than just fear. A fear may be called a phobia if the fear of an object or situation is excessive and becomes so great that it causes severe distress, avoidance, and has a negative impact on the individual's life.

When diagnosing phobias, doctors and psychologists refer to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, which outlines the symptoms and diagnostic criteria of all mental illness recognized by the American Psychiatric Association. To be diagnosed with a specific phobia, an individual must:

1. Have an intense and persistent fear of an object or situation.
2. Experience significant interruption in normal functioning, such as at home,
work, school, or in relationships as a result of the anxiety or avoidance of
the fear object.
3. Experience immediate anxiety when faced with the fear object. This anxiety
may at times escalate into a panic attack.

What Causes Haircut Phobias?

But why do such fears persist, even in the face of negative consequences. One male haircut phobia sufferer reported experiencing shame and ridicule by strangers who often mistook him for a girl because of his long hair. He eventually learned to feel good about his long hair, but was unable to conquer his fear of haircuts.

In some cases, a haircut phobia may be related

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