There's a great post on the Beauty Brains today (my favorite beauty blog) about how to deal with an aggressive hair dresser—specifically what to do when one tries to hawk the damn products on you (which always happens to me and I always wind up feeling like a skinflint if I don't buy, but resentful when I do). Anyway, the BBs advice is to politely say no thanks, which is exactly what any normal person should do—empowerment, honesty is the best policy, etc. But for those us of the When I Say No I Feel Guilty school, this is often easier said than done and can take a couple of tries (and a shelf full of never-used hair foam) to get right.
This also brings up a slew of other salon issues, like how do you convey what you want to the hair dresser without feeling like you're insulting or annoying? Before I became really firm to the point of neurosis, I had so many experiences where I left a cut or color holding back tears because I'd paid for something that looked terrible on me (I once exited a fancy salon with all my hair chopped off and the saddest "body wave" ever witnessed by anyone). At the beginning of each appointment I'd say stupid, wimpy things like "You're the expert" or "Whatever you think" because I didn't feel confident enough to express what I thought would be good on my own head.
Have you been there?
What are your worst hair appointment stories?

Related:
Hair Help!
Solving the annoying growing-out bangs dilemma
Hair Trauma: Brassy Blondes