by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman
May 28, 2024
One hair stylist believes the growing shift toward silent services comes from COVID-induced social anxiety.
Hair salons are adapting to the needs of its more socially reserved clients. The option for a “quiet” hair appointment is gaining popularity among customers, FOX 5 Atlanta reports.
Traditionally at Black-owned salons, the beauty shop was the center of gossip and fellowship between clients and the stylists. However, that atmosphere is giving way to a less communal experience. Nowadays, customers can opt-in to silent services, where the only sounds heard come from the tools themselves.
Shocked at the shift, hair-stylists noticed that more clients are choosing to forego chatting in favor of silence. Jenna Bisk, a director at New York City’s San Bercato Salon, has witnessed the growing phenomenon at her shop. She correlates its popularity to the introduction of remote working.
“We didn’t think it would be as popular as it is right now. Probably we get about 1-2 [requests]a day,” explained Bisk to FOX 5 Atlanta. A lot of people are working remotely right now but they still want to come in and get their hair done and they can do that while they’re here.”
Moreover, the hair stylist believes that the social anxieties prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic may also be to blame.
“…There’s a lot of people who might be nervous to come in and have to make small talk with a service provider,” Bisk explained.
The number of anxiety disorders rose significantly during COVID-19. According to an article posted by the National Library of Medicine, these specific cases increased by 25.9 percent or an additioanl 76.2 million anxiety diagnoses worldwide.
Although the world has relaxed on COVID restrictions, side effects linger—social distancing in many instances is an unspoken norm in the grocery store. The full scope of COVID protocols’ negative impacts remain unclear, though the quiet hair appointment could marks a distinct change in how people engage with one another.
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