Hair Play

Women's hair has long been considered a way of sending out sexual signals to men. In the time of ancient Rome, women believed that hair attracted men's attention more if it was colored blonde, and women today are just as aware of the impact their hair can have on the opposite sex.

Take Cameron Diaz, for example. A couple of years ago she famously ditched her trademark blonde for dark brown. 'I just wanted to try something different and see what kind of guys hit on me when I was a brunette as opposed to a blonde,' she said. The guys who liked the dark hair were the cooler, more sensitive, interesting guys.'

Most men do prefer blondes and most like women with medium to long hair. Long hair on women has long been considered provocative or erotic, especially by strait-laced societies such as the Puritans, which solved the problem of too much sexiness by making women cover their hair with a hat or other pious headgear, or roll it into a tight knot. But whatever the color or hairstyle, most men want a woman's hair to be soft. Sexy women sense this. Hair spray or mousse is a turn-off for most men. It unconsciously signals that the wearer is stiff, tense and doesn't want to be touched.

Psychologists who have studied the body language of hair agree that women's hair has a secret language. They found that short, cropped hair is likely to convey a no-nonsense image, while hair pulled back into a bun or tight ponytail shows conservatism. A fringe covering most of the forehead could mean you're shy, hair that's too immaculately groomed suggests the untouchable, and the soft, windswept look is universally tops for sexiness.

The experts say that even the way a woman unconsciously fusses with her hair while talking to a man can have an underlying sexual meaning. Very often you see a woman repeatedly playing with her hair as she talks to a man. She runs her fingers through it, brushes it back, toys with it, flips it. These unconscious grooming movements indicate that the female is unwittingly saying, ‘I want to improve my looks for you’.

You can easily tell that a particular woman is in love with a particular man by the way she constantly plays with her hair when she's with him. If she pulls it across her face in a kind of peek-a-boo fashion, it is a sure sign she's attracted to the man she is with.

So how can a woman use this secret language of hair to send out a message?

Running Her Fingers Through Her Hair

This can be a subconscious way of inviting a man to touch it. When a woman already knows a man is attracted to her she often unwittingly uses both hands to fluff up her hair in a preening gesture.

Letting Her Hair Down While Talking to a Man

This can signal that she's playfully teasing him but is also in control of the situation, or she could be hinting that letting her hair down is the first step to undressing.

Tugging her Hair

This is usually used when a woman realizes she isn't going to get very far with a man.

Twisting a Strand of her Hair into a Tight Line

This can often mean she isn't certain about a man's intentions but is prepared to carry on the flirtation before coming to any decision.

Chewing or Sucking a Strand of Hair

The experts say this gesture, available only to women with longer hair, is one of the most potent come-on signals.

Tossing her Hair while Talking

This is another signal only available to women with longer hair who are confident about their sexuality.

Brushing off Imaginary Loose Hairs from her Shoulders

This nervous gesture is usually made by a shy woman who doesn't have the confidence to face a man straight on, or a woman who wants to give the impression she's shy.

But the experts agree that a man shouldn't assume that a woman knows what signals she's giving when she plays with her hair. It's up to him to find out whether she is signaling sexual interest or is merely scratching her head.

So next time you start fiddling with your hair, be careful what message you may be sending - and to whom.