Tinker Air Force Base Changing Hair Standards For Female Airmen

The U.S. Air force is addressing personal health issues of female airmen by making changes to hair standards.

Female airmen, like Staff Sergeant Georgie Busbee are required to wear their hair in a bun with all flyaways tucked away if their hair is longer than their collar.

“I do that every day and I will only wash my hair on my training days, which is once a week,” Staff Sergeant Busbee said.

Busbee said she has noticed that wearing her hair in a bun is not only putting a strain on her hair, but her health as well.

“I do notice some hair thinning around the front of my face and I do get constant headaches throughout the duty day,” Staff Sergeant Busbee said.

Busbee is not the only one with this issue. Senior Master Sergeant Kevin Samson said they received feedback from female airmen and looked further into the issue.

“The Air Force uniform board looked at many different medical studies that showed wearing hair back in tight buns does create migraines, sometimes hair loss,” Samson said.

Knowing this, the U.S. Air Force decided to allow women to wear their hair in up to two ponytails and bangs can now touch their eyebrows.

Image Provided By: (U.S. Air Force graphic by Corey Parrish)

“The current hair standard doesn't fit everyone but making this small change we're including everyone,” Samson said.

Busbee said the change will improve her efficiency at work when having to prepare for a hostile situation.

“The way the bun is now and where we put our helmet on the straps make it a little bit difficult to wear our hair in a proper bun, so this allows us to with ease take it on and off,” Busbee said.

New hair guidelines will go into effect in February.