I also have long hair, and I keep it in a bun at all times on duty. If I just do a ponytail, it's still long, and no way I'm letting it fall into nasty stuff. Most of my female coworkers with long hair do the same. I've even seen guys who do. No vomit in my hair yet, except for one episode where I got completely covered anyways. Highly recommended.
Is long hair professional in EMS?
- Thread starter ExpatMedic0
- Start date
I also have long hair, and I keep it in a bun at all times on duty. If I just do a ponytail, it's still long, and no way I'm letting it fall into nasty stuff. Most of my female coworkers with long hair do the same. I've even seen guys who do. No vomit in my hair yet, except for one episode where I got completely covered anyways. Highly recommended.
adamjh3
Forum Culinary Powerhouse
- 1,873
- 6
- 0
No offense taken. Not all of us work seventy-two hour shifts waiting to "save lives" (delay death in my book). Some work 12 hour shifts waiting to take grandma to dialysis. While I personally don't care about what anyone looks like - heck, the girl I'm dating right now has a bunch of piercings and some tattoos and wears her hair... different from the norm - the point is it doesn't matter what a few of US think, it's what our patients think and feel comfortable around. Yes, we can go back and forth all day long that "My grandma didn't mind tattoos at all," but that doesn't matter.
The sources that Lucid posted show that the majority of people feel more comfortable with a clean-cut, professional looking provider. I don't care what you look like, as long as you can do your job, and admittedly, a very large part of our job is to make our patients COMFORTABLE.
The sources that Lucid posted show that the majority of people feel more comfortable with a clean-cut, professional looking provider. I don't care what you look like, as long as you can do your job, and admittedly, a very large part of our job is to make our patients COMFORTABLE.
medichopeful
Flight RN/Paramedic
- 1,863
- 255
- 83
Personally, I'd actually disagree. I actually WOULD find long hair to be a turn-off in a professional setting, and I'm a fairly young guy (20).
medichopeful
Flight RN/Paramedic
- 1,863
- 255
- 83
Seriously? :wacko:
To name a few:
-Any professional, respectable police department
-The United States Military
-Any professional, respectable fire department
MonkeySquasher
Forum Lieutenant
- 160
- 1
- 18
Not to mention many private employers. Usually anything involving customer service.
The Burger King I worked at in college actually asked someone to cut his hair or face being taken off the schedule.
DaniGrrl
Forum Lieutenant
- 135
- 0
- 0
Can I flip this question for a second? Every couple of years I get really sick of my hair and shave it all off. After a few months of being bald, I usually let it grow back. Would you think a woman with a shaved head is acceptable in EMS? I ask because I've had employers who thought it was okay, and others who didn't.
If you're concerned about how you'll be perceived, why not just groom yourself more conservatively? That's why I tuck my shirt in. Each of us gets to decide how we look, and everyone else gets to decide whether they like how we look.
ProfessionalParamedic
Forum Ride Along
- 6
- 0
- 0
Any wild alteration rather hair, tattoos, piercings, etc that are exposed are reasons to not be hired. As a business owner your appearance reflects on my company and can affect my bottom line. You have the right to choose how to alter yourself, I have the right to not employ you. If you do not like that sorry that's real life. Like it or not your opinion is not the most important one. The most important one is the patient and the patient is the one that pays your pay check.
DaniGrrl
Forum Lieutenant
- 135
- 0
- 0
Absolutely true. Every company has the right to outline their standards and expect their employees to follow them. Employees have the right to know what those standards are.
I'm asking specifically about women with shaved heads because I have no clue how that would be perceived in EMS, not because I think I know how it should be perceived. I'll deal with my employer's policies when I am employed, but in the meantime, I was just wondering if the opinions were as clear about that as about long hair on men.
DaniGrrl, I'm going to go out on a limb and speculate that most women in EMS don't have shaved heads. If I'm right, those with shaved heads look different, and I'd say "different" is more often considered unfavorable than favorable -- not fair, but true, I think. You'd be taking a risk that some people -- patients, partners, bystanders, bosses -- decide you are odd, and possibly even less competent than women without shaved heads.
My opinion? I don't care, but I don't understand why so many people are trying to look just as bald as I am
My opinion? I don't care, but I don't understand why so many people are trying to look just as bald as I am
DaniGrrl
Forum Lieutenant
- 135
- 0
- 0
LOL Bald is beautiful, I always say.
I think you've hit the nail on the head by saying that different is more often considered unfavorable. That's really at the heart of it, in certain fields. People don't have the time to actually assess an individual police officer or HCP (for example), so consistency almost becomes equal to competence.
I think you've hit the nail on the head by saying that different is more often considered unfavorable. That's really at the heart of it, in certain fields. People don't have the time to actually assess an individual police officer or HCP (for example), so consistency almost becomes equal to competence.
medic417
The Truth Provider
- 5,104
- 3
- 38
Absolutely. That first impression we give based on just our appearance (uniform neat or trashed, tattoos, fat, piercings, hair, etc ) and odor can determine how much the patient trusts us thus how well we can treat them. If they do not trust us they may withhold information that actually keeps us from giving proper care. Thus by demanding the right to look how ever I want can lead to patient harm. Thus as others have said be a freak off duty but make sure all signs of it can be hidden when on duty.
Keith AintScared Carter
Forum Ride Along
- 1
- 0
- 1
Honestly, I feel it is total discrimination to say that a man can't have long hair but a female can. I am a firefighter and AEMT. I am starting to grow my hair out and when my department says I need to cut it, I will be hiring a discrimination lawyer to fight the case try to terminate me. When people call 911 it is suppose to be for an real emergency and as long as the individual shows compassion and does his/her job on the scene. It shouldn't matter to these pricks if a guy has long hair or not, as long as it is somewhat neat. All you old heads who disagree, it's a new generation coming so get ready to get phased out old fogies, lol jk.
OP
OP
ExpatMedic0
MS, NRP
- 2,237
- 269
- 83
Thanks for the feedback Keith. I am sorry to report that I am now balding on top (serously), but I remember 6 years ago when I posted this thread I was happy to get the feedback and I enjoyed the long hair for as long as I could!
Fry14MN
Security Officer/Dispatcher/FR
- 151
- 103
- 43
Do I think long hair looks professional? No
If your employer allows it, I think it should have to be back in a pony 100% of the time and I think that should be for women too. Long hair does nothing but get in the way. It's a natural reaction to grab at your face if your hair gets in your way and that could be an issue in a number of cases. I work in management and we're around motors and trucks all day, I tell all the girls with long hair that it needs to be pulled back. The last thing I want is a girl checking oil or doing anything under the hood and her hair gets sucked in. Back in a pony tail, period.
Linuss - I don't know what generation you are talking about but I am 26 and I by no means find long hair in EMS or certain fields professional.
If your employer allows it, I think it should have to be back in a pony 100% of the time and I think that should be for women too. Long hair does nothing but get in the way. It's a natural reaction to grab at your face if your hair gets in your way and that could be an issue in a number of cases. I work in management and we're around motors and trucks all day, I tell all the girls with long hair that it needs to be pulled back. The last thing I want is a girl checking oil or doing anything under the hood and her hair gets sucked in. Back in a pony tail, period.
Linuss - I don't know what generation you are talking about but I am 26 and I by no means find long hair in EMS or certain fields professional.
AtlasFlyer
Forum Captain
- 381
- 67
- 28
Post of the year.
Or post of the 6 years... since it's been since this thread was started! Ha!
FTW I have long hair and I wear it however I darn well please. Usually it's down. It doesn't get in the way. I do carry a hairband if I need it. If others are so concerned about my hair that's their problem not mine.
Personally I don't care about hair length, but places that make you wear a uniform will also have grooming regulations. I'll bet almost all of them will have the no hair past the collar thing for guys. As someone earlier said, cut it for the interview then grow it out if you want it long. Or pull a Caitlin, just tell them you feel like a woman on the inside, adopt the girls dress code and pull it up in a bun. Might be worth a few hiring points too pulling the Trans card. 
joshrunkle35
EMT-P/RN
- 583
- 169
- 43
Hair is part of a uniform that makes you appear professional. Your patients will be of all different types of backgrounds, cultures and ages. You should appear professional in a way that is accepted by the largest majority of backgrounds, cultures and ages.
For example, in the business world, this would be for a man to have short hair and wear a suit and tie, and specifically "nothing too flashy".
So, you should dress in a way that your grandmother, 5 year old or a person from a different continent who speaks no English all find to be professional. This should also include stuff like tattoos. Tattoos are more culturally acceptable, but there's a big difference between a firefighter/EMS having a visible 9/11 tattoo with names of fallen friends vs. a sleeve tattoo of burning skulls.
Be professional not in the way that you feel people should accept you, but professional in the way that they will currently accept you.
For example, in the business world, this would be for a man to have short hair and wear a suit and tie, and specifically "nothing too flashy".
So, you should dress in a way that your grandmother, 5 year old or a person from a different continent who speaks no English all find to be professional. This should also include stuff like tattoos. Tattoos are more culturally acceptable, but there's a big difference between a firefighter/EMS having a visible 9/11 tattoo with names of fallen friends vs. a sleeve tattoo of burning skulls.
Be professional not in the way that you feel people should accept you, but professional in the way that they will currently accept you.
To Keith AintScared Carter,
You say you're a firefighter. If that's the case, you should know why FD's have certain grooming requirements. If your hair, and/or facial hair, in any way interferes with your face masks ability to form a proper seal, you have to cut it. You can grow it out, but if you can't secure it back and out of the way to form a complete seal, it's a safety issue as it interferes with the proper use of your PPE. Nobody is trying to take your individuality away. It's for your own benefit and safety.
This isn't a new idea: suing a FD over grooming standards. You won't win your 'discrimination' lawsuit. Safety v personal grooming preference is laughable.
You say you're a firefighter. If that's the case, you should know why FD's have certain grooming requirements. If your hair, and/or facial hair, in any way interferes with your face masks ability to form a proper seal, you have to cut it. You can grow it out, but if you can't secure it back and out of the way to form a complete seal, it's a safety issue as it interferes with the proper use of your PPE. Nobody is trying to take your individuality away. It's for your own benefit and safety.
This isn't a new idea: suing a FD over grooming standards. You won't win your 'discrimination' lawsuit. Safety v personal grooming preference is laughable.
AtlasFlyer
Forum Captain
- 381
- 67
- 28
We are an urban agency (a 3rd service) with class A, B and C uniforms.
We have extremely liberal "grooming" policies. We have a uniform policy for each class of uniform, that governs, how the actual uniform itself is to be worn. We allow tattoos. Like, full-sleeve tattoos. Nobody cares what we do with our hair as long as it doesn't impede us doing our job. I think having neon-dyed hair is disallowed, but really not much other than that is cared about. We have better things to do. I also don't see people abusing the policy. For the most part, we're expected to be grownups. So we are.
We have extremely liberal "grooming" policies. We have a uniform policy for each class of uniform, that governs, how the actual uniform itself is to be worn. We allow tattoos. Like, full-sleeve tattoos. Nobody cares what we do with our hair as long as it doesn't impede us doing our job. I think having neon-dyed hair is disallowed, but really not much other than that is cared about. We have better things to do. I also don't see people abusing the policy. For the most part, we're expected to be grownups. So we are.